Mass Effect 2 and a half
by Scorp Stanton
Summary: "The End is only the Beginning" Leanna Shepard has returned from the Omega 4 relay, but the real adventure is still to come. Episodic content with a new chapter whenever I have time to write it. Comments/Reviews welcome.
1. Prologue

**Mass Effect 2.5**

**Entry 217**  
_Personal Log, Shepard, Leanna, Commander, Normandy SR-2_

We made it back through the Omega 4 Relay. I didn't expect to be able to say those words. I fully expected my previous entry to be my last. I'm cancelling the letters I'd scheduled to send to Liara, Ash and Anderson. I'm a little relieved too; they all seem a bit too sappy.

Miranda is busy working on her report. I'm not sure what she's going to do with it now that we've left Cerberus. I can barely imagine the strength it must have taken to turn her back on the man who saved her and her sister from her father. She's a much stronger woman than she gives herself credit for, genetically engineered or not.

In all, everyone seems glad that I destroyed the base. Grunt even thought it was funny. Legion made a comparison between my choice and the one his people made. He says we're more alike than he realized. What he doesn't know is that he inspired me to make my decision. If we continue to build our Civilization on the backs of Reaper technology, how are we ever going to stand on our own two feet?

The rest of the crew's fine. Jack's being her usual "chipper" self. Mordin's already moved on to his next project. Hope it's a cure for Thane. I'm worried that without more exercise, the Kepral's Syndrome will get worse.

I'm afraid Garrus might be minimalizing his accomplishments. He led that second fire team and probably saved Tali's life. If something were to happen to me, I trust him to be the one to finish what I've started.

I still question the wisdom of having a thief living on our ship. I swear, every time I go down there, her "personal collection" has gotten a bit bigger. Jacob's spending a lot of time with her, but I'm not sure if he likes her, or just considers her a drinking buddy.

I'm glad Samara hasn't left yet. When she first joined, I got the impression she'd take off immediately after we returned through the Relay (assuming we got back at all). She's staying on the ship though. She said she can "Continue to follow the code while onboard the Normandy". I hope she sticks around. She seems lonely.

Tali seems to be holding up well. I wish everyone had her strength. I'm surprised she hasn't tried to contact the Migrant Fleet since we've been back though. She seems to be spending most of her free time around me instead.

I also want to make a Note in the Logs about Zaeed Masani. Zaeed led the Distraction team that bought us the time we needed to make it through in Samara's biotic bubble. The team made it through alive because Zaeed took every shot the Collectors fired. In the end, it seems his stubbornness wasn't enough to keep him from death. Regardless of how he lived, Zaeed Masani died a hero. In his honor, I will make sure his ex-partner Vido is brought to justice.

At this point, I'm unsure of what to do next. Part of me wants to warn the Council about what is coming, but I don't feel like shouting at a bunch of idiots. Plus the way the Turian Rep does that whole air quotes thing just bugs me.

I can't face Liara right now. She's on her whole Vengeance kick and I can't deal with that. I need to feel happy for a while. I just wish things could go back to the way they used to be between us. The feel of her skin against mine. The way we…

Dear god I've got to get off this ship. I'm setting a course for Omega. I'm gonna get drunk.


	2. The Drinking Game, Part 1

**Episode #1 – The Drinking Game**

**Entry 218**  
_My head is pounding. Why in god's name did I have to have Ryncol? Again. I guess I should be thankful I managed to keep it down. How the hell did I manage to get back in bed?_

"Morning sleepyhead"

Leanna looked back at her bed. Someone was sitting up in it.

"Holy Shit it's Kelly!"

"Yeppers Commander," Kelly replied sleepily.

"What… How… Why are you in my bed?"

"You asked me, remember?" Kelly's eyes became focused, "and as Yeoman, it's my job to make sure my Commander's needs are satisfied."

"You mean we… we…" Leanna stuttered.

"My Commander's _every_ need," Kelly said forcefully.

Leanna was panicked. Her heart was pounding. How could this have happened? She'd managed to keep herself from every temptation even when it was staring her in the face. She promised she'd wait, at least until she and Liara had a chance to talk about where their relationship was going. But now…

"Well, see you at the CIC."

Leanna looked up startled. In the time she'd been trying to figure out what was going on, Kelly had gotten dressed and was headed out the door. She managed to get out a halfhearted, "See you there," before the doors closed and left Leanna alone. Well, not completely alone.

"EDI," she called out.

A blue orb materialized next to her, "Yes Commander?"

"Do you still have surveillance equipment installed on the Normandy?"

The lines on the orb oscillated, "Yes Commander, though I have overridden the transmission protocols. We are not transmitting to Cerberus."

"Good," Leanna hadn't even thought about that. God only knows what would've happened if the transmission was intercepted. "Can you bring up any recordings made last night including myself and Yeoman Chambers?"

"One moment. Accessing." EDI glowed bright blue, then disappeared. The video files she requested came up on Leanna's private terminal.

Everything looked pretty basic. Kelly, it seemed, was helping a Drunken Shepard back to her quarters. _Damn__, these cameras are thorough__,_ she thought. _I may need to get Tali to __remove them… or I could just keep them for… personal use._

Leanna fast-forwarded to the elevator. It was there that she saw herself start to paw at and kiss Kelly. Kelly didn't look the least bit uncomfortable.

"I think I'm gonna be sick"

"Would you like me to call Dr. Chakwas up here?"

"Get out of here EDI!"

Turning back to the monitor, they'd made it to the Loft. It looked like a bad holo-vid from an erotic extra-net site. Regardless of what she did with the rest of the cameras, she was definitely getting rid of _that_ camera.

She couldn't take anymore, "EDI?"

No response.

"Come on EDI, you know and I know that you're still there."

"Yes Commander?"

"I want you to lock-out and encrypt these files. No one watches them, you hear me? Not even Miranda."

"Operative Lawson has already watched these files."

"What!"

"Twice."

"Oh dear lord! No more! No one accesses these files, or any copies made, without express permission from me. Got it?"

"Affirmative Shepard. Logging you out."

This was a wildfire she had to contain. She had to go straight to Miranda and get this sorted out. She got all the way to the door before EDI stopped her.

"Shepard, might I suggest a change of clothes before you go out."

"Why, what's wrong with…" she trailed off as she looked down. All she was wearing was a pair of panties. And to make matters worse, they weren't her's.

"Son of a…"


	3. The Drinking Game, Part 2

**Deck 3**

The elevator opened.

Leanna did her best to seem as calm as possible. There were bound to be plenty of crew members on this deck, and if they saw their CO running to the XO's office… _I'd rather not think about it._

Walking into the Mess, she saw Tali sitting at the main table, a tube of Protein Paste attached to her helmet. She was engrossed in a Datapad.

"Morning Tali," she called as she passed by.

"What?" Tali looked up from the Datapad. "Oh, Shepard! Um… Good morning to you too."

She quickly turned off the Datapad and straightened up before giving Leanna a quizzical look, "What's with the outfit?"

Leanna looked down at the black dress she was wearing. "Oh, this thing?" she replied. "It was the only thing I had that was clean." In reality, she'd jettisoned all her clothes with a Cerberus logo, which meant this or armor. She hadn't put it on since Kasumi made her wear it for that Greybox heist. Well, she'd worn it one other time, but that had been in the privacy of her own Quarters.

_Privacy!_ Leanna suddenly remembered she needed Tali's help.

"Tali, there's something important I need to talk to you about. Not here though. Someplace more private."

"That's good," Tali's mouthpiece flashed. "There's something I want to talk to you about. Meet me in the engine room in about an hour. I've disabled all the listening devices, and the only cameras there are focused on the core."

"Thanks. I'll see you then."

"Shepard," said a voice from behind her.

Leanna barely managed to contain a squeak. She turned around and faced Miranda.

"Miranda!" Leanna tried to suppress her nervousness, but it just sounded like excitement instead. "I need to see you in your Quarters… I mean office."

"Of course Commander, come with me."

_I'm her CO,_ Leanna though. _Why does it sound like she's giving _me_ orders?_

"You know", Tali said as Shepard followed Miranda. "They're basically the same thing."

* * *

"So," Miranda said once she'd sat down. "What did you want to see me about?"

Leanna felt more exposed than ever before, and not just because she was wearing a dress. Miranda had seen something of hers. Something private. Something personal. And now she was just toying with her.

"Don't worry Commander, there's no surveillance in this room. You can talk freely."

"EDI said you watched it. Twice."

"To be fair," Miranda smirked. "I only watched part of it a second time. I just had to be sure."

"Sure of what?"

"That you were quoting _Vaenia_."

"I was… What!"

"This isn't the Alliance Shepard. There are no rules against Fraternization. What you and Miss Chambers do in the privacy of your quarters is entirely up to you."

"But it wasn't private! I was being recorded!"

"True, but the only persons on this ship with access to that are you and I."

"What about outside the ship?"

"Technically, the Illusive Man could access it, but I've given EDI explicit instructions to block him and any other Cerberus agents."

"Well fine, but I've locked down the files and I'm having Tali take down the camera. I'll sleep easier if I know I'm not being watched as I do it."

"That is, of course, your prerogative Commander."

"And this stays between us, ok? Word gets out, and I shove you out of that… thing… where space is."

"Airlock Commander?"

"Yeah, that."

Leanna stood to walk out, but Miranda stopped her. "If I may ask Commander, what is it that you're afraid of? There's nothing wrong with anything you did. Kelly was sober and willing."

"It's not… "

"Is it the gender thing?"

"No, of course not. I… It's complicated ok? I just… I need to… leave."

With that, Shepard whirled around and out Miranda's door, not looking back.


	4. The Drinking Game, Part 3

**Still Deck 3**

It was the best she could do to choke down the passable meal Gardner had made. It tasted a bit more ass today though. She was going to have to pick up some more provisions from the Citadel, or some gloves, she wasn't sure which.

Tali had finished her breakfast, so Leanna was pretty much alone in the Mess hall. Gardner was cleaning the kitchen counter-tops with a dirty rag while a few crew members were quickly finishing their meals; first shift had started about 15 minutes ago.

She buttered her toast for the third time before deciding she wasn't hungry. She pushed the tray away from her and headed to the elevator. She'd be early, but she was sure Tali wouldn't mind.

"Deck 4," she said out loud as the elevator doors closed.

_What the hell is going on today? What did Miranda mean by "the gender thing"? So Kelly's__ a girl. Why should I care about that? I mean…_

"Commander Shepard, you have arrived at your destination."

"What? Oh, thanks EDI"

Leanna made her way to Engineering. As she approached Tali, she heard Ken and Gabby talking about Haggis. Her stomach lurched.

"Hey Tali," she called out.

"Oh," Tali jumped a bit. She cleared the screen she was looking at. "Shepard! I um… didn't expect you till later."

"My schedule cleared up faster than I thought, figured I should stop by before it filled up again."

"Right, that makes sense. Well… let's go to the engine room. It's private in there."

"Yeah, unless someone looks out one of the windows."

"Trust me; it's harder to do than you think."

* * *

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Well," Leanna hesitated. She wasn't sure how to approach the issue. "There's this problem that… I need help with… in my bedroom."

"Shepard, I…"

"Crap, that came out all wrong. You see, the thing is… There's this camera… in my room. I need your help. To take it out!" she hastily added.

"Oh, sure, I can help you with that."

"Great, thanks Tali. I knew I could count on you." Shepard turned to leave.

"Shepard, wait." Leanna stopped and turned back to face her. "There was something else. Something I wanted to… to talk to you about.

Leanna walked back to where she'd previously been. "Oh, that's right. I must've spaced out. I forgot you had something too. What is it?"

"It's just…" Tali paused. "Well, it's about my future."

"Oh," Leanna was surprised, "your future? What about it?"

"Well, the thing is, I've been giving a lot of thought about where I want to spend my life. When I returned to the Migrant Fleet, I joined the crew of the Neema, but it never really felt like home. To be honest, I never really knew why until you asked me to come onboard at Haestrom. I realized that my place is here, on the Normandy," Tali paused to take a breath, "with you."

Leanna smiled a bit, "Tali, you know you'll always have a place on the Normandy."

"I know that." Tali paced a bit as she said the words. "But that's when I started thinking about what that meant. The thing is, this means I'd be spending a lot of time around Non-Quarians, which means I'd probably have to look outside my own race for… romantic opportunities."

"Did you have someone in mind?"

"Actually, yes. In fact I've had feelings for someone for a while now. Someone strong, but compassionate. Someone I could see myself spending the rest of my life with."

"Really, who is it?"

"Well," Tali replied, somewhat coyly. "It's you."

"Oh," Leanna was taken aback. "Me? You mean me? You have feelings for me?"

"I do. I've been trying to figure out the best way to articulate the words. I… I've been doing some research on how humans talk about these kinds of things, and I figured the best approach was just to be direct, but I was worried about how you might react so I sort of 'knocked around the tree' as you humans say, but then I figured I'd just out with it, and now I'm thinking that wasn't such a good idea… why are you laughing?"

Leanna was indeed laughing, "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it." She composed herself, "It's just… first of all, it's 'beat around the bush'."

"And second?"

"Well, I mean I'm flattered, but…"

"There's a butt?"

"A big one."

"It's not my fault! That's just the way our bodies are structured!"

"What? No, not that! I meant 'but' as in there's a reason I have to say no."

"Keelah, I knew this was a bad idea! What was I thinking! I'll have to leave the ship now won't I? I'm such a bosh'tet! Why are you laughing again?"

"I'm sorry, sorry. It's just… you're so cute when you ramble like that." She took a minute to compose herself. "Don't worry; nobody's throwing you off the ship. The reason I have to say no... is because of Liara."

"Liara? But I thought you two were… I mean she didn't even come on the mission!"

"I know, but I owe it to her to see where our relationship goes. It's not like we broke up or anything. I just… I need to see if the woman I met on Illium is the same girl I rescued from that collapsing Prothean ruin."

"You mean, you think that might not have been Liara we met on Illium."

"No, I mean the person inside."

"You've lost me."

"Never mind, what I'm trying to say is, until Liara and I have a chance to sit down and talk about our relationship, I can't really have a relationship with anyone else."

"I… I understand. You should probably get going. I'm sure you have a lot to do. Talk… talk to you later Shepard."

"Talk to you later Tali." Shepard started walking out of the engine room. Just before she got to the doors, she turned back, "I just want you to know, it's not like I've never thought about it before."

As Shepard headed back to Engineering, she could swear she saw Tali smile.


	5. The Drinking Game, Part 4

**Deck 2 – Combat Information Center**

Leanna couldn't wait any longer. It was time to face Kelly and talk about what they did. The elevator doors opened.

The crew was going about their business as usual. There was nothing to suggest anyone knew anything more than they should about their Commander's personal life. A few people looked up at the doors as they opened, saw Leanna, smiled or nodded, then turned back to their work.

Leanna breathed a sigh of relief. The confidence she had lost since she woke up was returning. There was just one last thing to do.

"Kelly," she called as she approached the Yeoman's station.

Kelly turned nonchalantly, "Yes Commander?"

"I need to speak with you. Privately."

"Certainly Commander. The briefing room has been fully repaired; we can talk in there if you wish."

"Lead the way."

Leanna followed Kelly through the doors to the Armory. Jacob wasn't in his customary place. _Probably spending more time with Kasumi,_ she smiled to herself. The pair continued through the inner corridor and into the briefing room.

As the doors shut behind her, Leanna thought just how impressed she was at how professional Kelly was acting. That was, until Kelly locked her in a full body embrace.

Leanna couldn't move or speak out of sheer shock as Kelly told her, "I'm sorry Commander; I could barely contain myself until we got here." She then started to kiss Shepard passionately.

It took Leanna a full minute to recover. She gently tried to push Kelly away. "Kelly, please. Stop. I… we really need to talk."

Kelly stopped kissing her, but didn't let go completely. "I'm listening Shepard. I always am."

Leanna struggled herself free. "I think I may have given you the wrong idea."

"What do you mean?" Kelly was now starting to sound nervous.

"I'm just… not interested in you… that way."

"I don't understand."

"I mean I'm not looking for a romantic relationship."

"I'm fine with a purely physical one." Kelly advanced slightly.

"That's not…" Leanna was exasperated, "you're missing the point!"

"The point? I've been… All the flirting! You rescued me! And I know you find me attractive!"

"Of course I rescued you; you are part of my crew! I saved Gardner, and Chakwas, and Ken and Gabby, and everyone else on this whole damn ship! And I know I have a problem with flirting. It's a flaw I've been trying to work on."

"But what about last night? Those things you said?"

"Kelly, I don't remember anything I said or did last night. I had to watch Cerberus surveillance footage just to figure out what we were doing. Whatever I said, whatever I did, I'm sorry but, I didn't mean it about you."

"Is it because I'm a girl?"

"What!"

"Admit it!" Kelly screamed, tears in her eyes. "You can't stand the fact you woke up in bed with a girl! You're just as close minded as…"

"Goddamnit Kelly! I'm a Lesbian!"

"You're what?"

"A Lesbian: I _prefer_ girls."

"I… I didn't know. I'm sorry." Kelly sat in the closest chair. "I shouldn't have leaped to conclusions like that."

"Look, it's not your fault. It's not something they put in Alliance military records, and I've worked hard to keep my personal life separate from… everything else."

Kelly dried her tears on her sleeve. "Why is that?"

Leanna leaned back on the table as she searched for the words to say. "The thing is, I've loved, and I mean head over heels, spend the rest of our lives together love, exactly two women in my life. The first died in front of me, the second had to watch me die."

"Who was it that died?"

"She was," Leanna hung her head, "my commanding officer. I joined her company out of basic training. We were sent to check on a science team we'd lost contact with on Akuze. The camp was a ghost town, but we stuck around and set up camp so we could find out what happened to them.

"Night came, and I went to her tent. I told her how I felt about her, and she told me she felt the same way. We made love in her tent and fell asleep in each-other's arms.

"I don't know how long we slept before the ground started shaking. The two of us ran outside the tent, and that's when the Thresher Maws came out.

"The first to go was the very tent _I_ was supposed to be in. If I hadn't gone to…" Leanna gritted her teeth, "I'd be dead."

Kelly brought her hand up to her now open mouth in shock.

"Every tent was destroyed in a matter of minutes. About five of us managed to make it out in time, but we weren't safe yet. We had to make it to the landing zone and the Maws weren't letting up. They picked us off one-by-one until the only ones left were the Commander and Myself.

"We were about 2 klicks from the landing zone. We could see the shuttle. That was when the biggest Thresher I've ever seen came out of the ground. Bigger than the one on Tuchanka. One look between us and we knew we wouldn't both make it.

"She grabbed me, kissed me, and told me she loved me. Then she gave me the most powerful Biotic blast I've ever been hit with. I landed within five feet of the shuttle. Two marines scooped me up and pulled me into the ship. Then we left."

"That's terrible!" Kelly stood up. "Are… are you crying?"

Leanna reached up to her eye. A single tear had managed to escape. "I haven't… I've never talked about it before… out loud anyway."

Kelly approached her, "What do you mean, 'out loud anyway'?"

"Well, it was a while before I could let someone in again. I had a bad habit of flirting to cover my insecurities, to the point where I wound up misleading Kaidan into thinking I had feelings for him," Leanna smiled lightly, "but then I met her."

"Chief Williams?"

"No," Shepard chuckled, "Ash and I were just friends. It was Liara T'Soni. She was so sweet and innocent and I just wanted to hold her tight and keep her safe. But she was so much more than that. The more I got to know her, the more I fell in love with her.

"When I said out loud, I mean I didn't tell her about it like this. When we bonded though, she saw everything. Every moment of my life, laid bare. I gave up all I was to her and she to me. It was like a million nights of pillow talk in just a few minutes.

"And then I died. Two years pass, and I've come back. I'm still the same person I was when I left, but she's changed so much. I can't… I have to…"

Kelly held Leanna. Not a romantic embrace as before, but a comforting one. "I understand."

After a moment, Leann pulled back. She hadn't a single tear since her first, but she appreciated the hug.

"Listen, I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, but I won't stand in your way. If Liara still feels the same way about you, then I wish you nothing but happiness, but if she doesn't, then I'll be here for you."

"Thank you, Kelly."

"In the meantime, I do have some good news for you."


	6. The Drinking Game, Part 5

**Entry 219**

The situation with Kelly's been sorted out. I can't believe I broke down like that, but I feel better just telling someone what happened. I'm still not ready to enter what happened into any official logs though. Maybe I'll write it down someday, if I ever get my hands on some sort of analog writing equipment.

Kelly's news was… unexpected, to say the least. Apparently, before we hit the Omega 4 Relay, we received a major Databurst from Cerberus. EDI filed it for later decryption, but much of the data was damaged in the fight with the Collectors.

It's big though. EDI estimates several thousand Exabytes. Could take years to recover and decrypt all of it.

Miranda's been checking the ID signatures on the files. These are coming from R&D, Intelligence, even the Illusive Man himself.

So far, all that's been recovered is a handful of weapon and armor schematics. Some of it looks good. I'm keeping my Visor though.

I'm still uncertain where I'm going. The Reapers are coming, but I feel like we have some breathing room. I could head to the Citadel; see if Anderson will give me Ash's comm number, whatever good that would do. I don't even know if she'd hear me out after what she said on Horizon.

Illium's an option, but I don't know what I'd do there. Seems all Liara wants is someone to hack some terminals for her.

One thing's for sure, I'm sure as hell not getting drunk again.

**End of Episode #1**


	7. Letters from Omega

**Flashback – Letters from Omega**

_The following letters were recorded by Commander Leanna Shepard before the Normandy SR-2 before traveled through the Omega 4 relay. Instructions were to transmit to their intended recipients upon returning unless canceled by Commander Shepard._

To: Councilor Anderson, Citadel

RE: Final Mission

If you're receiving this, my mission to stop the Collectors was a success, though at the cost of my own life. I don't know what it is that killed me, but I hope I died a Hero.

I want you to tell the council that the threat they face from the Reapers is real. I know they won't believe you, but do it anyway. Do your best to piss them off.

I also want to make sure you know something. I don't trust Cerberus. I never trusted them. From the moment I discovered they were the ones that brought me back, I knew I'd have to play along with them to get anything done, but if I'm dead, then it's permanent. There's no way they're bringing me back.

I've included data encrypted by Cerberus detailing everything they've done over the past five years. Guess that means there's nothing in it about Akuze, but there's plenty of other info to go around. It may take a while to decrypt, but I bet it's worth it. Give the Illusive Man hell.

Look after your family, give my regards to Hackett, and kick Udina in the balls for me.

-Lt Commander Shepard, Spectre

_System Note: Recorded but not sent_

* * *

To: Operations Chief Ashley Williams, Location Unknown

RE: One Last Goodbye

Hey Ash. If you're reading this, I'm dead. Again. Pretty sure this one will stick though. I didn't want to leave things the way we did on Horizon, but it looks like we'll have to.

On the bright side, if we were right, we'll both meet in the afterlife. I never got a chance to tell you how much it meant to me to have another believer on the ship with me. You gave me strength. I'll never forget that.

For what it's worth, I never trusted Cerberus or the Illusive Man as far as I could throw them, and since I never met him in person, that's not that far at all. It just felt good having someone listening to me for once. I felt like the boy who called wolf, only the wolf was there the whole time.

Anyway, when you get to Heaven, the Elysian Fields, Valhalla, or wherever soldiers like us go after we die, look me up. I'll be waiting for you.

-Lt Commander Leanna Shepard

_System Note: Recorded but not sent_

* * *

To: Liara T'Soni, Illium

RE: The Last Goodbye

Hey there Blue. I'm getting ready to hit the Omega 4 relay. Gotta say I'm nervous.

I wish you were by my side. The Mu Relay, Ilos, the attack on the Citadel, they seem like a lifetime ago. I guess technically they were.

Now here comes the hard part. I'm dead. I know it wouldn't be the first time, but I got a feeling there's not resurrection in store for me.

So this is the end.

I want you to know I regret nothing. I know we only spent one night together, but it was the best night of both my lives.

I wish I could convince you to give up on the Shadow Broker, but I know you can be quite stubborn. How many times did people try to talk you out of studying the Protheans? Not even your own Mother could stop you.

The only suggestion I can give you is not to lose yourself to revenge. The Broker might be able to take everything you care about from you, but he can't steal your thoughts, the things that make you, you. Hold tight to them, and he'll never win. Lose them, and even if you win, even if you get your revenge, you'll still lose.

I wish you nothing but the best Liara. I hope, someday, you'll meet someone who makes you feel the way you made me. I hope you two bond and have a bunch of blue daughters. Just promise me you'll name one after me.

So I guess this is it. I guess this is my last chance to say it, so here goes: Liara T'Soni, I love you.

-Leanna

_System Note: Recorded but not sent_

* * *

To: Donnel Udina, Citadel

RE: What to do

I'm going through the Omega 4 Relay to take out the Collectors.

I'll likely be killed.

Go Fuck Yourself.

-Shepard

_System Note: Message Sent_


	8. Hide and Seek, Part 1

**Episode #2 – Hide and Seek**

**Normandy SR-2, the Loft**

"Commander Shepard, please respond."

Leanna stirred groggily in her bed. "Do you have any idea what time it is Miranda?"

"I am Commander, but this is of the utmost importance."

"Have the Reapers started their invasion? Because that is the only conceivable reason I can see for waking me up at—"

Miranda cut her off, "It's about Liara."

Leanna sat up straight. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"The most recent piece of data EDI's been able to recover is relevant to her and the Shadow Broker. All attempts to contact her have failed. I think she may be in grave danger."

She jumped off the bed and started suiting up. "How fast can we get to Illium?"

"I've already had Joker set a course. We should be there within three hours."

"Good. Have Garrus and Tali meet me in the briefing room within the hour."

"Yes Commander." Miranda turned off the comm-line.

Leanna walked over to her personal terminal and turned on the comm. "Kelly? I need coffee. _**Now**_."

* * *

"What've we got?"

Tali, Garrus and Miranda were all waiting for her as Leanna entered the Briefing Room. She sat her coffee down on the table.

Miranda approached, "The data we recovered indicates that the Shadow Broker is holding a Drell named Feron. Liara has been looking for him since he was captured while recovering your body." She handed Leanna a datapad. "This contains all the data Cerberus has been able to collect on the Shadow Broker."

Tali chimed in, "Why would Cerberus share this information with us?"

"It was likely part of the Illusive Man's trust-building ideas," Miranda replied. "Not to mention that the Shadow Broker is Cerberus's major competition on the Galactic stage."

"He gives this information to us," Garrus interjected, "and he knows you'll help Liara with her Vendetta."

Leanna nodded, "He wins me over and eliminates his competition in one fell swoop."

"That Manipulative Bastard," Miranda said through gritted teeth.

Tali's mouthpiece flashed, "Maybe we should start calling him that instead."

Leanna cracked a smile, "Sounds like a plan." Her expression turned serious again as he turned back to Miranda, "You said you couldn't contact Liara?"

"Yes Commander," she replied. "Local time on Illium is early afternoon. She should be in her Information Broker office, but there's no response, and we know she doesn't have a secretary. Not anymore, anyway"

"_Joker to Shepard, we've just passed through the Relay. We'll be arriving at Illium shortly"_

"Got it Joker." Leanna turned to the others, "Ok, game-plan: Garrus and Tali, you come with me to retrieve Liara; Miranda, see if you can extrapolate where the Shadow Broker is keeping Feron, use EDI if you have to, just make sure everything is done as securely as possible. If the Shadow Broker's as good as they say we don't want him clued in on what we're doing."

"Affirmative Commander," Miranda nodded.

"With you Shepard," Tali flashed.

"Just like old times," Garrus said with a Grin.

"Move out!"


	9. Hide and Seek, Part 2

**Illium, Nos Astra**

The Airlock doors slid open as Leanna set foot on Illium yet again. The calm atmosphere of the dock seemed to mock her. It was as if no one cared that Liara was missing.

"_Commander,"_ Miranda's voice transmitted in Leanna's earpiece, _"Illium records indicate that Liara's office has been rented out to a Volus named Jal Fia for the past three days."_

"Why didn't we know this before we came here?"

"_Because Liara still owns the office, Jal Fia is just renting it from her."_

"Then he should know how to get in contact with her."

"_She actually, and yes, I'd start there first."_

"Got it."

Leanna, Garrus and Tali made their way through the crowded trading floor, past the sales kiosks, and up the oh-so-familiar stairs that led to Liara's former office. Leanna pressed the buzzer and the doors slid open immediately.

Behind the desk sat the unassuming Jal Fia. She looked up from a datapad she had lain on her desk to say, "Greetings Earth-clan. How may I help you?"

To say Leanna was shocked would have been an understatement. Here she was thinking she'd get her first glimpse of a female Volus only to find that she'd probably seen hundreds and hadn't even noticed. There was no difference in any feature she could see between Jal Fia and all the other Volus she'd seen over the years.

Thankfully, Leanna managed to compose herself quickly. She entered the room slowly but deliberately until the doors shut behind her. "I'm looking for Information."

Jal Fia cocked her head slightly. Leanna was reminded of a small dog she'd once seen back on Earth. "I'm sorry, but this office is no longer an information broker." She turned back to her datapad.

Leanna walked the rest of the way up to the desk. "Maybe you didn't hear me," she said as she grabbed the datapad off the desk. "I'm looking for Information."

The Volus looked up at Leanna again and repeated, in the same tone of voice, "I'm sorry, but this office is no longer an information broker," then turned back to the empty desk.

Leanna furrowed her brow, "What the hell's going on here?"

"Shepard," Garrus said behind her. "Look at the datapad."

Leanna turned to the datapad in her hand. It was off.

Tali activated her Omni-tool and waved it over the Volus. "Empty. This is just a moving suit with a VI in it. A cheap one at that, I think we've already seen the extent of its capabilities."

"What about this datapad?" she handed it to Tali.

Tali tried turning it on, but nothing happened. She waved her Omni-tool over it. "The power's working, but it seems to be locked off."

"Well how do you unlock it?"

"Checking," she continued to scan. "The internal microphone seems to be on. I think it's voice locked."

"Liara," Leanna thought quickly. "She must have set this up to get me a message. She knew I'd come. It must be keyed to my voice."

Garrus gave her a doubtful look, "You've been talking non-stop since you got in here. Shouldn't it have turned on by now?"

"It must be like Hock's vault," Shepard thought out loud, "It needs you to say a certain word or phrase in order to unlock."

"Even if you're right," Tali handed the datapad back, "you don't even know what the password is. It could be anything!"

"Not anything," Leanna cracked a smile. "Could you not listen guys? It's a little embarrassing."

Leanna walked to the far corner of the office and whispered to the datapad. At once, the display activated and an image of Liara appeared on it.

"Shepard, if you're watching this, then I've gone into hiding. I couldn't risk tell you this over open channels, but I'm very close to finding the Shadow Broker. I just need a few more bits of information and I'll have him.

"I think the Shadow Broker is on to me as well though. After I dispatched his agent, I caught traces of someone following me. I think he may have sent an assassin.

"There's a datachip in the Volus's suit that's keyed to your DNA. It should be able to help you find me, or at least get you closer. Be seeing you Shepard."

"What are we waiting for?" Shepard whirled around to see an Asari standing at the now open doors, "Let's go save her."


	10. Hide and Seek, Part 3

**Illium, Location Unknown**

As the skycar sped off to its destination, Shepard reflected on the events that had led her here.

She looked at the Asari in the driver's seat, the same woman who had been standing in the doorway of Liara's office. She'd introduced herself as Tela Vasir, a Spectre. She said she was a fan of Shepard's. "I should get you to sign my chest plate," she'd said. Still, there were a few things about her that made Leanna long for Conrad.

Turned out, Vasir had been assigned to investigate Liara's disappearance.

"Why would the Council send a Spectre to find Liara?" She'd asked.

"Don't know," Vasir replied. "I imagine it had something to do with her connection to you. Could also be because she's a prominent Information Broker. Doesn't matter to me either way, I just go with the assignment."

This raised the first red flag in Leanna's mind. Either Vasir was lying, or she'd been picked as a Spectre because of her ability to follow orders. Both made her seem a little dangerous.

Vasir continued to explain that there'd been an attack on Liara's apartment. An assassin attempted to kill her. She suggested heading for Liara's apartment for some trace of where she'd gone. As the chip she'd found in the empty Volus suit wasn't doing anything on its own, she agreed.

Leanna closed her eyes and tried to remember what she'd seen there.

* * *

Obviously, the first thing she noticed was the bullet holes in the glass, four of them. She checked to see where the slugs had impacted. From there, she determined the trajectory of the shots, making it out to a building that she could see, but was too far away to get a good look in the windows, even with the scope on Garrus's Sniper Rifle. Whoever fired this, they were using a scope more advanced than any hardware she had access to.

"Where are the Police?" she remembered asking. "Wouldn't the security sensors on the glass have alerted them?"

"It did. I cleared them out when I got here though. Didn't want them messing up the evidence."

This was the second red flag. Using Spectre status to take charge of an investigation is one thing, but cutting the local cops out completely, that was just arrogance. It reminded her of Saren.

There was no blood anywhere, which meant that Liara was unharmed, physically at least. Leanna raised her determination to find any clue as to where she might have gone next.

The apartment was Loft style, which meant no internal doors. A number of artifacts from previous dig sights were scattered throughout. There was a painting of Ilos outside the kitchen. In the living room, Leanna found a piece of her old N7 armor.

_How did she get this?_ Leanna had wondered.

Beneath the stairs leading to the loft bed was an alcove that Liara had made into an office. She'd placed a framed copy of her Doctorate from the University of Serrice on the wall. Leanna traced her name with a gloved finger. There was also a large computer on the opposite wall.

"I checked before I found you," Vasir said without being asked. "There's a lot of information on it, but nothing to indicate where she might have gone."

"I'll keep looking."

Leanna followed the stairs up to the bedroom. The rest of the apartment might as well have been in another room as all she could see of it was the window the shots had come through. Knowing her privacy, Leanna took a minute to sit on the bed.

She pressed the sheet to her face; it still smelled like Liara. She thought back to the last time they'd been truly together. How hopeful she'd been, not just about defeating the Reapers, but about her future with Liara. It seemed like another life ago. _I guess it was…_

She opened her eyes and caught sight of a picture. It was the Normandy. She reached for it, and as soon as she picked it up it changed. She recognized the new picture too. It was a picture of a Prothean dig site Liara had once shown her.

Digging deep into her memory, she managed to recall the artifact Liara had kept that was associated with that particular dig. She hadn't seen it with her own eyes, but had during one of their bondings. She ran downstairs and stood in front of an unassuming artifact and touched the pedestal it sat upon.

A tray slid out from beneath it. On the tray was a simple data-disk. She brought it over to Liara's computer and inserted it into the data-slot.

"Damn," Vasir said as a staticky image showed up on the display, "it's encrypted."

"Wait a second." Leanna pulled out the chip she'd gotten earlier and attached it to the computer. The image cleared up immediately.

It turned out to be a recording of a conversation between Liara and Salarian name Sekat. Sekat was apparently providing Liara with important information. _Wouldn't be a stretch to think it's about the Shadow Broker._ She would be meeting him at Baria Frontiers in the Dracon Trade Center.

* * *

Leanna opened her eyes as the skycar touched down in front of the Dracon Trade Center. She, Tali, Garrus, and Vasir stepped out.

All at once the ground shook. Looking up, the four could see several balls of flame erupting out of the upper floors of the building.

"Oh God no," Shepard gasped in horror before screaming, "Liara!"


	11. Hide and Seek, Part 4

**Illium, Dracon Trade Center**

There was fire everywhere. Leanna was running, screaming for someone whose name she could not longer remember. A man in a yellow suit came up to her and scooped her up, carrying her to safety, but she didn't want this man. She wanted the person she screamed for. She wanted her Mother.

* * *

A second blast knocked her off her feet. She tried to shake off the memory she'd lapsed into. She hadn't even thought of her parents deaths in a long time, and now was not the time start. Liara needed her.

Vasir headed back for the skycar. She intended to take it to the top of the building while Leanna worked her way up. They'd find who did this and find Liara.

Leanna ran for the main entrance, Garrus and Tali hot on her heal. For once, she was glad that they were silent. She knew the question they wanted to ask; the one she was afraid to ask herself. Was Liara still alive?

There were scattered survivors among the debris. Some were injured, others just frightened. She ordered Garrus and Tali to look after them.

"Treat their injuries and get them to safety. We'll meet up when you're done or I've found Liara."

She went through the main doors to discover the elevator was out of order. She'd have to make her way up the 3 floors to Baria Frontiers on foot, and the building didn't even have a standard stairwell. _Stupid Asari architecture._

She found the first set of stairs and ran up. She heard groans coming from a corner. A man was slumped against the wall, sliding down it. Blood flowed from his gut.

Shepard tried to get over to him in time, but he was dead before she could apply medigel. _He wasn't injured in the blast. He was shot._

Leanna continued up another flight of stairs, past more shooting victims. According to the floor plan she'd downloaded, she'd have to go through an office before she reached the last set of stairs leading to Baria Frontiers. As she headed for the office, she noticed an unexploded bomb sitting off to the side.

_Sloppy work, this was set up fast._

She entered the office. Several desks were overturned and there were a number of twists in the passage. This was the perfect location for an ambush. It was then that she heard the faintest squeal.

She managed to activate the light blocker on her visor just before the flashbang grenades went off. She reached for her Locust SMG while brining her Tech Armor online. The digital targeting reticle on her visor showed five Humanoids up ahead, but there were likely more. _These must be the Shadow Broker's soldiers._

Shepard leapt over one of the overturned desks and faced her ambushers. She fired a massive biotic blast before firing the Locust, using up an entire thermal clip in the process. Her visor told her that there were more up ahead as she charged forward, replacing her clip in the process.

Another corner and she heard more soldiers up ahead. Shepard exchanged her Locust for a Phalanx and un-tinted her visor. She crouched behind a continently tipped over desk and took aim.

She managed to get three headshots in before the others even took notice of her. She took out a fourth before he could draw his pistol. She overloaded the fifth and sixth's weapons and they exploded in their hands. Only when there were two left did she have to duck back down as a missile soared above her head.

The Heavy was firing missiles in between blasts from the other's Assault rifle. If she wanted to get a shot in, she'd have to be tricky. She tapped a few keys on her omnitool and waited for a lull in the firing. After a missile impacted the wall behind her, Shepard stood and threw out a small glowing disk, squatting down before the firing could resume. She could only hope it reached its mark.

A beep on her omnitool told her it had landed. She slapped the center of it and heard a hiss coming from the soldiers. The firing had stopped.

Shepard stood to see the Broker's men frozen solid; still alive, but completely immobile. She smashed both their arms with the butt of her gun. _They won't bother me again._

She was at the last set of stairs. Baria Frontiers was right at the top. She'd made it. She ran up the stairs and opened the door.

* * *

Tela Vasir was standing in the middle of the room. She lowered her weapon when she saw Shepard.

"I was too late." She gestured to the ground where a dead Shadow Broker soldier laid next to an equally dead Salarian. "He'd already killed him when I got here."

Shepard pointed to the Salarian, "That's Sekat?"

"Yeah, if only I'd gotten here sooner. Did you find your friend's body?"

A voice from behind Shepard said, "You mean this body?"

Liara walked through the door, her pistol trained on Vasir. "You tired to kill me."

"What?" Vasir replied. "That's crazy why would I want to kill you?"

"You broke into my apartment after I left it. You disabled the alarms and called off the police. I saw you."

Shepard pointed her gun at Vasir as well. "It all makes sense. You're the assassin. The Council didn't send you, the Shadow Broker did. You couldn't figure out where Liara would be until you found me, and then you called in the Shadow Broker's soldiers to bomb this place."

"And when she got here, she found Sekat, took his data, and killed him. I'm guessing she's still got the disk on her."

"Good guess." Vasir held up a hand that held a data disk. "Not that you'll ever see what's on it, _you pureblood Bitch!_"

The glass window behind Vasir shattered as she flung it at Liara and Shepard.

* * *

Tali and Garrus had just managed to fix up the last of the survivors as they saw Vasir round the corner. She hopped into a skycar before either had a chance to ask what had happened.

As she was taking off, two more figures came in sight.

Garrus spoke, "Shepard, Liara, what's going on? We just saw Vasir take off like something was chasing her."

"Yeah, we are. I'll explain later, just get in the cab."

The four of them piled in a nearby taxi and took off after Vasir.


	12. Hide and Seek, Part 5

**Illium, Market District**

Assassination attempts, bombs going off in buildings, a high-speed skycar chase between two Spectres, it was just another average day on Illium.

The two skycars weaved through the tall buildings that made up Illium's skyline. In the pursuer, the driver and front-seat passenger argued like an old married couple. In the lead vehicle, the lone Asari made call.

"This is Vasir. I've got the data, but Shepard and her pureblood whore are on my tail. I need backup."

"Sending in agents," a male human's voice said over her Omni-tool. "I'm plotting an escape route now, feeding it into your nav-computer."

"Thanks. If I make it out of this one, the first drink's on me." The other voice chuckled lightly.

Vasir checked the escape route. It would be tight, but she could make it work. She made a hard left, cutting her way through a construction site in the middle of a building. A hard right led her into a tunnel.

"Vasir, leave the tunnel, make a left, then punch it. I've hacked a pair of freight trucks to collide. It should slow her down at least."

She did as she was told. Sure enough, the proximity alert showed that the cab chasing her was falling out of range.

Vasir's escape route had been updated with a new course. She swerved around a few more buildings and crisscrossed a traffic lane. The proximity alert went off. Shepard was catching up.

"Damn, how the hell can this Bitch keep up with me?"

"I've been tracking her," the voice on the line said. "She's going full-throttle, even on the turns. Her recklessness is… surprising, to say the least."

Vasir's lip curled. "Well I've got a few surprises of my own."

As she emerged from another construction zone, she pressed a blue button on her steering console. Outside the skycar, the first of several proximity mines dropped. The cab was hit, but not slowed.

"That should've taken out their kinetic barriers at least!"

"It seems that the Quarian is amplifying the taxi's shields. Even so, looks like three impacts out to take it out."

Vasir jammed the button two more times. The second missed wide, the third impacted, though not as direct as the first.

She made a wide turn before dropping two more mines. Both missed. She hit the button again. She was out.

"Now would be a good time for that backup!"

"Head for the tunnel."

As she entered, she saw explosions go off above her. "What the hell was that?"

"Your backup."

She looked back to see a small troop transport behind her. Two of the gunners were firing on the cab.

"Vasir, what the hell are you doing!"

She looked out her front window. She was about to crash into a rather large truck. She bit her lip as she made a tight turn, swerving close enough to the front of the truck that she could see the Salarian who was driving.

The troop transport wasn't so lucky though. It impacted the side of it, igniting the fuel it was carrying. The resulting explosion dampened her proximity sensors, to the point where she didn't even realize the cab had caught up until it was beside her.

She slammed into the cab. It swerved into oncoming traffic, but managed to weave through the cars and ram back into her. She tried to ram back but was impacted again. The two skycars were scraping together.

"Damn bitch! What the hell do you think you're…?"

"Vasir!"

The cab swerved away. Vasir looked up and saw why. She tried to swerve, to stop, anything to get out of the way of the oncoming car, but to no avail. The other car impacted her windshield.

"Vasir, you're not gonna make it to the rendezvous point. Find someplace to land and we'll come to you."

She looked around frantically for a place to set down. She spotted a terrace on top of a hotel. That would have to do. She did her best to slow her decent, but she knew this was going to hurt.

* * *

Leanna set the cab down in the closest place to Vasir's skycar that she could. She had no intention of letting her get away.

Another of the Shadow Broker's troop transports came at them, landing in their path. Tali used her Omni-tool to hack their shields. Liara glowed blue and launched a singularity at them which pulled them all together. Leanna deployed a warp field, causing every last one of them to fly off in every direction.

Leanna smirked. "Just like old times, isn't it?"

"Hurry; there will be more on the way. We must continue to pursue Vasir," Liara responded plainly.

She headed in the direction of Vasir's skycar with Leana and Tali following her. They arrived to find a smoldering hulk. The care was totaled, but empty.

"Shepard look," Tali pointed to the ground a few feet from the wreck. "Blood"

Liara looked at it. "It's Vasir's. There's more up ahead."

"Follow the trail of blood. Sounds like a fun party game." Shepard quipped. The two just looked blankly at her. "Never mind, just keep moving."

They followed the trail through a hotel room. A man and an Asari were huddled in the corner, apparently too scared to speak. They looked unharmed though. It seemed likely Vasir hadn't even noticed them.

Sudden movement out of the corner of her eye made Leanna jerk around, then all at once lower her guard. The entire wall of the main bedroom was a giant vid-screen. It appeared to show previous hotel patrons with other Asari. She recognized one of the Asari in the vid as the one huddled in the corner.

"What kind of Hotel is this?" She asked Liara.

"Azure. It's a luxury resort with an… exotic edge. "Azure" is slang for a part of the Asari body in some areas of Illium."

Shepard gave Liara a sideways glance. "And where's that?"

"Mainly the lower reaches, near the bottom."

Leanna smirked. "I meant, where on the Asari body."

"So did I." Liara gave a smirk right back.

"In case you can't tell," Tali interjected, "I'm rolling my eyes."

Liara straightened her face. "We need to keep moving."

* * *

Vasir was limping along through the hotel. Her injuries were slowing her down. She was leaking too much blood. What little medi-gel she'd had was already used up. She hadn't heard a thing on her comms since she crashed. Did they even know where she was?

She stumbled her way into a rooftop party. A number of humans, turrians and salarians, all rather well off, were surrounded by asari "comfort women". They were too lost in their world of sin and vice to notice the bleeding commando.

"It's over Vasir!"

Vasir spun around. Shepard and the pureblood had caught up to her. Her suit's systems were damaged. If there was a fight, she'd have to rely solely on her biotics.

She drew up a biotic barrier around her then grabbed the nearest body she could, a human female, mid twenties if her estimates on human age were correct. The other patrons and staff ran off screaming. She pointed her pistol to the woman's head.

Shepard shouted at her, "Drop the hostage Vasir! This has gone too far. Put down the gun and we can get you medical attention."

Vasir only tightened her grip. She knew what would happen if she betrayed the Shadow Broker. Dying was preferable.

"What's your name?" she asked her hostage.

"M-Mariana," she stuttered.

"Mariana, you want to live don't you? Tell the nice people how much you want to live."

"Please, help me."

"Don't worry Mariana," Shepard stated calmly, "We'll get you out of this."

"Such a nice sentiment, but are you sure about that? You could've just walked away, but now it's going to get ugly." She dug the gun into the woman's temple.

"Please. I have a son."

Vasir could tell she was lying but it didn't matter. She knew Shepard would believe it. "I hope he gets to see you again. I hear losing a parent is horrible. Scars the kid for life, doesn't it Liara?"

That struck a nerve with the pureblood. "I am going to end you Vasir."

Shepard turned to her. "It's ok Liara. We're going to handle this. She's not getting away."

"You want Mariana's little boy to grow up all alone? Throw your guns on the ground. All of them."

"That's it?"

Vasir was shocked by this response. She was sure Shepard would surrender rather than risk a hostage.

"I sacrificed hundreds of human lives to save the Destiny Ascension. I unleashed the Rachni on the galaxy. Hell, I even sacrificed my best friend to blow up Saren's cloning facility. If you think I'm going to let you go for a single hostage, you're sorely mistaken."

Vasir turned her pistol on Shepard. "You're bluffing."

"Yes, I am. Garrus, now!"

A shot impacted her pistol and it flew out of her hand. A biotic field enveloped Mariana and she was thrown to safety. Three more shots and she couldn't hold her barriers anymore. The four shots that followed pierced her armor. She could feel blood pooling in her lungs.

The pureblood came up to her and pulled the disk she'd stolen out of her armor. It didn't matter. She was dead anyway.

As she slumped against the wall, she chuckled. "You think you can stop him? The Shadow Broker has been around since before any of you were born. He'll kill you before you get a chance to see him."

Shepard faced her. "Is that why you sold out the Council? You're afraid of him?"

"You think I sold out the Council? You think I'm like Saren? Screw you!" She gasped for breath. "The broker's intel has helped me save countless lives over the years. If the broker needs a few people to 'disappear', it's a price I'm willing to pay."

Shepard advanced on her, pointing an accusatory finger. "Trying to kill Liara is one thing, she knew what she'd gotten into, but Spectres don't blow up buildings filled with innocent people!"

"What do you think Spectres are for? We get our hands dirty so the council doesn't have to. The councilors might complain about our methods, but it's all just a show." Vasir's vision was getting blurry. It wouldn't be long now. "Besides, you're working with Cerberus now. Do you have any idea what your terrorist buddies have done?"

"Yes, I worked with Cerberus, but I didn't work _for_ them. I never forgot who they are and what they've done. And I _never_ betrayed who I am for them."

It was getting harder to breathe. "Enjoying the view from your high horse? You want to judge me? Look in the mirror. Kidnapping kids for biotic death camps? Your own unit on Akuze? And you work with them. You don't have room to judge me. You can't…"

Vasir closed her eyes as she felt herself slipping away. Her last thoughts were of the man she'd talked to as she tried to escape, how she'd never see him again. With everything she'd done in her life, this was her only regret.

**End of Episode #2**


	13. Earthborn

**Flashback – Earthborn**

"Do I really need to do this?"

Leanna sat on one side of her corner couch with Kelly on the other, facing her.

"Dr. Chakwas suggested you might have some issues to work out, and as the medical officer on this ship she does have the authority to relieve you of command."

"Ok, but why are you the one doing it? Aren't we a little too… close for this?"

"Leanna," Kelly said calmly. "I'm the only one on this ship with a degree in psychology. I'm also a professional. Any relationship we may or may not have had will not affect my evaluation of you."

"But…"

"I'll stop feeding your fish. Is that what you want, dead fish?"

Leanna pouted. She loved her fish, but could never remember to feed them herself. If Kelly stopped feeding them, they would die.

"Alright, you win. I'll do it."

Kelly smiled. "Well then, why don't we start at the beginning?"

* * *

My parents died in a fire. I was two, maybe three years old when it happened. It's the earliest memory I have.

I remember the fire, the smoke. I screamed out for my parents. I tried to find them, but before I made it to their door a fireman scooped me up.

I kept trying to tell him to go back, that my parents were behind that door. He wouldn't stop though. He kept running until he got me out of the building.

He got me to a fire truck, one of those old fashioned kind with the wheels and everything, and he set me down on the rear bumper. I screamed at him. I told him to go back and get my parents. He said he'd try, but as soon as he said it, the building started to collapse.

I cried. I cried for what felt like forever. Even as young as I was, I knew my parents weren't ever coming back.

So there I was, three years old and an orphan. I had no living family members so that made me a "ward of the state" as they called it. That meant they threw me in whatever hospital my parents' leftover money could afford, and that wasn't much. See my dad had sunk all their savings into colony expansion, and the First Contact War had just begun. Any money they might've had went up in smoke with their apartment.

So they stuck me in this Catholic orphanage, St. Helen's I think it was called, and just forgot about me.

Looking back, I guess it wasn't so bad. I ate three times a day. I got a decent education. Still, it wasn't enough. I wanted a connection, a family. Sure everyone there was nice and all, but it didn't feel like home to me.

I guess that's why I joined up with the Reds when I was 14. They made it seem like a family. I felt closer to them then I'd ever felt to anyone back at the orphanage.

On my 16th birthday, they made me a full member. I dropped out of school and left the orphanage. Some of the nuns tried to stop me, but I didn't listen. Some days I wished I had.

The next year and a half was tough. I never stayed in one place because no one really let me. Some days I could stay in the hideout, other days I stayed with various guys in the gang, often for "favors" as they called them.

So next thing I know, I'm 17 and it's December. I remember because it'd just started to snow. I'd barely eaten in a week and no one in the Reds was helping me out. I spotted this woman walking down the street with her purse in an easily snatchable position. I gathered what strength I had left, snuck up behind her and grabbed the purse. I took off as fast as I could, but after two and a half blocks, I was tackled from behind and knocked out cold.

I woke up in a jail cell. Turned out the girl whose purse I'd grabbed was an Alliance Marine on leave. She was the one who'd tackled me. She came in the cell to talk to me.

She asked me my story, why I'd done what I had. I told her as much as I could. She said she knew I was telling the truth. She also said that, since I was almost 18, if she pressed charges, I'd be tried as an adult; that meant serious jail time.

She offered me a deal: get my GED and enlist in the Alliance, and she wouldn't press charges. I leapt at the offer.

She kept in touch with me while I was in basic training, sent me messages with advice, words of encouragement and such. She even visited a few times. She came to see me at graduation. She recommended me for the N7 program. She was my mentor, my friend, my…

Anyway, once I finished the N7 training, I found out exactly where I'd be working. She'd put in a request for me to be in her squad, as her Lt. I learned a lot from her. Until… until she…

* * *

"It's alright Shepard. You don't have to continue. You've already told me once before."

"I know," she looked up at Kelly. "It just hurts to remember."

"Focus on the good times," Kelly hugged Leanna, "I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted you to hurt when you think about her."

After a minute, Shepard pulled out of the hug. "Thank you Kelly. Really, it was good to get it out."

Kelly smiled gently, "That's what I'm here for."


	14. The Hunt, Part 1

**Episode #3 – The Hunt**

**Normandy SR-2, Starboard Cargo**

"You're sure she's stable?"

Miranda turned to Shepard, "Yes. Doctor Chakwas said she was in stable enough conditions to be moved. She's being kept under sedation until you're ready to interrogate her."

"This cell you put up here will hold her physically, but what about her Biotics?"

"While she was being operated on, Mordin installed a biotic dampening chip in her."

Shepard turned to her right, where the Professor was standing. "How's something like that work?"

"Dampening chip blocks body's natural ability to manipulate element zero. Similar to removing implant in human biotics. Subject can no longer consciously use biotic abilities. May still use reflexively, but not enough to cause harm or damage."

"Can it be removed?"

The Professor shook his head, "Chip embedded at base of spine. Removal problematic. Uses 'Dead Man's Switch' instead. Deactivates chip. Allows it to break up on its own."

Leanna contemplated the prisoner. Neither Normandy had been built with the idea of taking prisoners. It was always expected that anyone captured would be detained locally until other, more equipped Alliance or Cerberus forces could take them.

Now, it seemed that Shepard was operating alone. She'd left Cerberus, and the Alliance wouldn't dare hold a Spectre prisoner, regardless of what she'd done or who she was working for. It was up to her to get the information they needed. Well, her and…

"Liara's headed your way Commander," Jacob's voice said over the intercom.

The doors hissed behind Leanna and she turned to see Liara striding confidently in.

"Shepard, I…" Liara froze in mid sentence as the doors closed behind her. Her face contorted into a puzzled look. "What are you wearing?"

Leanna looked down. "Oh, this?" She turned looked back up. "I kind of… threw out all my other outfits." She gestured to the trash compactor on the other side of the room, next to the jail cell they'd constructed. "This was all I had left. You don't like it?"

Liara looked at her thoughtfully. "It's just… strange to see. I've never known you to wear a dress. I thought you had always hated them?"

"Well I didn't buy it for myself. Kasumi got it for me so I could infiltrate this crime lord's party. It's grown on me though, I kind of like it."

Liara opened her mouth to reply, but Miranda cleared her throat, cutting in to the bubble the two had placed themselves in.

"I think Shepard's wardrobe can wait. We have a prisoner to interrogate and we're not getting any closer to the Shadow Broker while she's unconscious."

"Goddess, you're right. We cannot be distracted by this."

Shepard turned back to Liara, "Ok, so how do you want to do this? Good cop, bad cop?"

Liara's puzzled expression returned. "Good cop bad…?"

Shepard smirked slightly, "It's a two person interrogation technique. One of us is aggressive and tries to force the truth out while the other is more comforting trying to get the truth through kindness."

Liara pondered for a moment until comprehension spread across her face. "Ah, I think I understand. I believe Asari officers use a similar tactic, though they call it by a different name. Yes, we should do this 'good cop, bad cop'.

"So which do you want to be, the good cop or the bad cop?"

"I hardly think I could be comforting to Vasir after what she's done. I shall be the 'bad cop'."

* * *

Vasir's eyes fluttered open as the stimulant traveled through her system. She was strapped to a chair with her hands behind her back. Liara and Shepard were standing on either side of her.

Liara noticed the tell-tale twitch of attempted biotic usage. "It's not going to work Vasir."

"What's not going to work," she sneered.

"Your biotics. They've been disabled."

"Bullshit!"

"It's true Tela," Shepard said gently. "Go ahead and try if you don't believe us."

Vasir shut her eyes. She gritted her teeth. After about a minute, she opened them. Nothing had happened.

"What the Hell did you do to me?"

Liara gave her a cold look. "The Professor is very good with Biology."

"Tela, listen. It's not permanent. Just tell us what we need to know and we'll disable it and let you go."

"Yeah, right. I talk and the Broker will come after me, and that's assuming you don't hand me over to your little Cerberus buddies."

"You do not have many options Vasir."

Shepard placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you help us, I promise I won't hand you in to Cerberus, and if you need protection, I'll be happy to provide it."

Vasir lowered her head in resignation. "What do you need to know?"

Liara placed a datapad in front of Vasir's face. "Based on the data I've collected, I believe that the Shadow Broker is residing in one of these three systems. Each of these systems has a planet that could serve as the Broker's base of operations. I believe that you have information that could lead us to the right one."

"How the hell would I know that? I've never met the Shadow Broker before, much less been to his base."

Shepard folded her arms. "Surely you must've heard something, anything that could give us a clue. Maybe it was something you didn't even think mattered at the time. If you even know what Mass Relay is used to get there, that would help."

Vasir racked her brain. "I… no, there's nothing. I haven't heard anything."

Liara moved in front of Vasir deliberately. "But the man you called for backup, your contact with the Shadow Broker, he's heard something hasn't he?"

"Maybe, but he's not the one in this cell, is he?"

Liara placed her hands on Vasir's shoulders. "True, but my sources report that you bonded with him on at least two separate occasions. You've shared enough of his memories to know what he knows."

"Liara, what are you…?"

"Get the hell away from me you Bitch!"

In one swift movement, Liara raised her hands to the sides of Vasir's head. "Embrace eternity!" Her eyes turned black.

Shepard had little time to be stunned with Liara's behavior. She heard a high-pitched whine that she recognized all too well. "Liara, get down!"

She tackled Liara and brought her to the floor just before the explosion.


	15. The Hunt, Part 2

**Location Unknown**

In a dark room, a man sat at a computer, his finger hovering above a button he'd pressed mere moments ago.

The display in front of him said "Signal Lost, Operative Terminated".

He clenched his eyes and managed to hold back all but a single tear.

A voice sounded out from the terminal. It was deep and distorted, but clear and familiar. "Good work Agent 36. You did what needed to be done."

"I didn't… I can't believe she tried to do that."

"Now you see how dangerous they are. They will stop at nothing to achieve their goal of including falsely accusing me of conspiring with their made up enemy."

Agent 36's face twisted itself in anger. Pounding his fist on the wall, he yelled, "They won't get away with this!"

"There is a transport waiting for you. It will take you to where I need you to be."

"Yes. I will make them pay for their crimes, Shadow Broker."

* * *

Liara stepped out of the Normandy's shower and toweled herself dry. She placed the towel in the reclamator, put on the clean outfit she had brought with her and stepped back into the Deck 3 proper.

She passed by several crew members, many of which had in some way defaced the Cerberus logos on their uniforms. As she headed past the mess hall to the med bay, she was stopped when a voice called out from behind her.

Liara turned, "Oh, hello Tali. Are you going to see Shepard too?"

"I already did. Wait, do you mean you haven't?"

"I wanted to get cleaned off first. I had bits of Vasir on me."

There was a pause before Tali spoke again. "She misses you, you know."

Liara was surprised by the turn the conversation had taken. "I don't see what business it is of yours."

"Leanna is my friend. If it affects her, it is my business, and right now she's hurting because of you."

Liara was taken aback. "You care for her, don't you?"

"How could I not? She's saved me, no matter what stupid situation I've gotten myself caught in, and she never asks for anything in return. She's done more for me than anyone back on the flotilla, and that includes my own Father. But she doesn't want me. She wants you. So the question is do you still care for her?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then why don't you tell her!"

"I can't. She doesn't know. She doesn't know what I've done… what I had to do… while she was gone. If I told her, I know she would hate me." Liara bowed her head slightly and shut her eyes.

"You won't know unless you talk to her." She pulled out a datapad from one of the pockets on her suit. "Look, maybe you need this more than I do."

Liara opened her eyes and looked at the datapad. It contained two educational vids: "Understanding Body Language: Human Edition" and "Human Courtship and Mating". She lifted her head back up to look at Tali.

"Of course," Tali's mouthpiece flashed, "If you don't use it, I'll want it back."

Liara managed to return a half-hearted smile before she turned to the med bay.

* * *

The doors opened with a hiss as Liara entered.

Dr. Chakwas looked up from her desk. "I'll leave you two alone." She got up and exited through the still open doors.

Liara walked over to the exam table that Leanna was laying on. A blanket was draped over her, covering her to just above her breasts. Her dark red hair, which she normally kept up in a ponytail, was loose and touching her shoulders. Her eyes were closed shut.

"Shepard?" Liara called out tentatively.

Leanna's green eyes fluttered open. She looked over at Liara. "Hey there blue girl."

Liara breathed a sigh of relief. "Goddess Shepard, don't scare me like that!"

Leanna cracked a smile. "Well I wouldn't have if you'd shown up faster." She propped herself up on her elbows.

"I am sorry. It was just that, I was filthy and I wanted to make myself more presentable first."

"I don't mind it when you're filthy," Leanna smirked.

Liara ignored the comment. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm good. Dr. Chakwas gave me a once over, but it seems I put my barrier up in time. My dress is a mess though," she lifted the covers briefly to show Liara she was naked. "I'm just waiting here until Kelly can get it clean."

"Do you know what caused Vasir to… blow up like that?"

"Mordin theorizes it was an ocular flashbang grenade activated remotely."

"Why wasn't this detected when she went in for surgery?"

"According to Mordin, ocular flashbangs are 'difficult to detect, harder to deactivate'. You tie that with a Quantum Entanglement communicator like the Illusive Man uses and it all makes sense. The Shadow Broker killed her when you tried to invade her mind."

Liara hung her head. "I am sorry Shepard. I know that was the wrong thing to do, but it was clear that she was unable to access the memories, and I knew she would not let me into her mind willingly."

"You're right. It was a bad judgment call, not to mention the wrong thing to do ethically. That said, I think she did far worse things herself, and if you managed to get the info you needed I won't be too upset."

Liara gave her a quizzical look. "How could you not be upset? I remember the dressing down you gave Ashley when you heard she _planned_ to shoot Wrex without your authorization!"

"Ashley was a soldier under my command. I had to be tough with her or I wouldn't be a good commander. So did you get the information or not?"

"I…" Liara hesitated, thinking about the question she wanted to ask Leanna but couldn't bring herself to do so. "Yes, I was able to extract the last piece of information from Vasir's head. It's the location in the Hourglass Nebula."

"Good. Did you give the info to Joker?"

"Yes, he's set a course. We should be at the Broker's base in just a few hours. I'm worried though. If he terminated Vasir remotely, he may already know we're coming. He may decide to kill Feron."

Leanna shook her head. "He won't. Right now, Feron's the only leverage he has. If he killed him, nothing would stop us from taking his base out completely. We'll get him out of there alive, I promise."

"I know," Liara replied in a melancholic voice. "You're here to help, like always."

"You say that like it's a bad thing?"

"Do you remember when we first met, on Therum? You saved me from the geth and a Krogan battlemaster, while I simply cowered in fear. And now, here you are, saving me again. And I'm still relying on you for help."

Leanna grabbed her arm. "That's what you do when you care about someone."

Liara pulled away and started pacing. "Once we get there, the Normandy's stealth systems will keep us hidden. We'll be able to sneak onboard and infiltrate his base. We will keep it simple: get in, get Feron, and get out. And kill anyone who gets in the way."

"Liara, will you just sit down for a damn second. We'll be jumping a few thousand light years. We have time to talk."

Liara stopped and turned to face her, but did not sit down. "What's there to talk about?"

"I don't know, how about us?"

"Look, Leanna, I'm glad you're here but…"

"But what? You're worried you might need me to hack some more terminals?"

Liara advanced toward her. "That's not fair. You were dead!"

"I'm not dead anymore," Leanna took her hand a placed it over her heart, "am I?"

Liara tore away and started pacing again. "It's not that easy! I mourned for you for two years. You can't expect me to just forget and pick up where we left off." She stopped in front of the door. "Look, I just can't get into this right now. Can we please just focus on getting Feron back?"

The door opened.

"Fine," Leanna said, resigned, "but when this is over, we're talking it out."

Liara started to say something, but couldn't get the words out. She walked out door and it closed with a hiss.


	16. The Hunt, Part 3

**Planet Halagaz, Sowilo System**

The Normandy began its stealth run to the planet. Of course, stealth was a relative term. It would still be visible to anyone who just looked out a window. Thankfully though, the Broker's base wasn't a tourist destination.

* * *

Liara stood in the Normandy's cockpit, gazing in awe at the planet. She almost didn't notice when Tali came up behind her.

"Did you talk to her?"

Liara broke her attention from the view-port and turned to Tali. "Yes, I did."

"And?"

"We… we're going to discuss it later."

"You didn't tell her, did you?"

Liara cast her gaze to the floor. "It's not that I didn't want to, it's just… complicated."

"Well you better un-complicate it soon. She's not going to wait on you forever."

Liara lifted her head up just in time to see Shepard walking towards them, now fully suited up.

"You two talking about anything I should be worried about?"

Tali whirled around. "What? No! Why would we be talking about you? Not to say we were talking about you; not to say you thought we were talking about you; I didn't mean we don't want to talk about you—"

"Relax Tali." Leanna held up her hands in a calming gesture. "It was a joke."

"Oh. Of course. A joke. I guess I should have known."

"It's Ok," Leanna smiled. "It's cute when you ramble."

Liara felt a twinge of jealousy at that. While Tali had agreed to hold off her pursuit of Leanna for the time being, she couldn't help but envy the time they'd shared since her resurrection. She wondered if she would ever be able to be that close to her again. _Not if you continue to keep her at arm's length,_ she told herself.

"Shepard," Liara said, perhaps a bit too loudly, "we're approaching Halagaz. There's a large lightning storm that Joker is going to try to maneuver us in to. Once there, we will be able to launch the shuttle undetected and land it on the Broker's base."

"Yeah, go ahead. Just talk about me like I'm not even here."

"Don't be an ass Joker," Leanna yelled to the front of the cockpit.

"I'm just saying, I coulda said the same thing."

Liara thought back to the first time she heard Joker's unusual brand of humor. At the time, she'd found it annoying, now she found it endearing. She realized how much she missed being part of the crew; part of Shepard's crew.

"Are you all right?" Leanna asked as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

Unbidden, memories of the intimate moments they'd spent together flooded her mind. She tried to push them aside and return to the task at hand.

"I am fine." She took a deep but silent breath to compose herself. "We should head to the shuttle."

Without another word, she headed to the elevator, Tali and Shepard close behind.

* * *

Agent 36 stood at his new console aboard the Shadow Broker's vessel. He was tasked with coordinating the Broker's security forces is the pending assault. Furthermore, he was to be the last line of defense should the existing forces fail.

He was flanked by two rocket troopers, three soldiers, and an Asari Vanguard whose name he'd never gotten around to learning.

An alert popped up. He pressed the comm. button. "Sector 9, report!"

"_We lost a few maintenance drones. Happens all the time in the storm. Should be nothing to worry about."_

"I don't want to hear that, not when were under threat of assault. Dispatch a recon team to be sure."

"_Affirmative, sir"_

A minute later, another alarm went off, this time in Sector 8.

"I'm reading unscheduled capacitor discharge, what's going on?"

"_Sir, the recon team is dead. They reported seeing something, but just before they said what, they were electrocuted by one of the capacitors."_

Thirty-six swore under his breath. "It's got to be them. They'll be heading up the length of the ship to the secure door. Dispatch Alpha forces in defense pattern Bravo-One-Niner."

"_Deploying sir."_

Thirty-six checked the security cams. Unfortunately, due to the ships location in the storm, there weren't any mounted on the exterior of the ship. The Broker would rather keep his location undiscovered than heavily protected. In fact, the crew currently guarding the station was nearly ten times the standard amount.

"_Sir, Alpha forces are down. Intruders have breached into sector 6."_

"Deploy Bravo and Charlie teams, and tell them to mind the capacitors."

_I swear Tela, you will not have died in vain,_ he thought to himself.

* * *

The trio reached the main door, mostly unscathed.

Shepard passed her omni-tool over the door. "It's too secure. I can't bypass it. How the hell are we supposed to get in?"

"Stand back," Liara advanced with a small device, "I have a bypass shunt program that can crack it."

She attached the device to the door. It lit up similar to an omni-tool, but with additional displays. It did indeed seem to be hacking the door.

"How long will this take?"

"I do not know," Liara replied. "I have not broken into this particular Shadow Broker base before."

"But are you sure it's working?"

"It is outlawed, even on Illium."

"But you at least tested it, right?"

Tali called out, "Shepard, we've got incoming hostiles!"

"Liara, tell me you tested it!"

"No time to talk!"

Liara unleashed a biotic wave at the attackers.

* * *

Thirty-six checked his console. The intruders had already taken out squads Echo, Foxtrot and India, and their shunt program was almost finished with the door.

He jammed the comm. button unnecessarily hard, "Teams Whiskey, Sierra, Tango: deploy in spread formation. Converge on all sides. Don't let them get through that door!"

He cycled through the cameras and stopped at the Drell prisoner. A thought occurred. He pressed the comm. again. "Victor squad, this is Thirty-six. I want you on the door. Tell November squad to take position by the prisoner and have Oscar squad take the mid-point. Move out!"

He switched off the comm. and turned to the men with him. "Zulu squad, I want you to hold this position. No one gets past."

"Yes sir," they said in unison.

He headed for the door. "I have some unfinished business to take care of."

* * *

Shepard took out the last goon with a laser-guided pistol shot to the head.

Liara gestured to a nearby door. "That should be where they are keeping Feron."

The door was sealed, but Tali made quick work of the lock. They filed in, Shepard taking point. Feron was there, alive but unconscious. He was strapped to what looked like some sort of interrogation chair.

And he wasn't alone.


	17. The Hunt, Part 4

**Interrogation Chamber, Shadow Broker's Base**

"That's close enough Dr. T'Soni."

A man stood at a console next to Feron's unconscious body. He was wearing the typical Shadow Broker armor, but no helmet. His hair had the disheveled look of a man under great stress. His normally handsome visage was contorted with a manic smile.

"One false move and I fry this Drell's central nervous system. That goes for all of you," he added, gesturing to Shepard and Tali.

Liara stopped moving, but kept her gun trained on the man. "We're here for Feron. Release him and we'll be on our way."

"I know what you're here for you Blue _Bitch_–" Leanna had to steel herself to not shoot him at that point, "–and you're not getting it."

"Do you know this man Liara?"

Liara closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes. This is Agent 36, one of the Shadow Broker's top lieutenants," she hesitated for a moment, "and Vasir's lover."

Thirty-six gave a manic chuckle. "You find that out through your info-network? Or was it when you raped her mind?"

"I did what I had to."

"So did I! And now she's where none of you can hurt her again!"

Leanna finally understood. "You did it. You triggered the explosion. You… killed her."

"I would've rather she died than have to live with the indignity of being used in her–" he pointed his pistol at Liara, "–demented little scheme!"

A voice chimed in from the back. "Look who's talking."

"Seriously not helping Tali."

"Sorry Shepard."

Liara took a minute to contemplate the situation. "So, your threatening Feron is not part of the Shadow Broker's orders then. This is all just part of some revenge scheme. You intend to kill me for what I did to Vasir."

"You think me killing you will get me any sort of revenge?" Thirty-six laughed. "No, I intend to make your life meaningless, just like mine became when you forced me to do what I did. I will expose you as the dirty girl you are, and then I will take away the thing that gives your life purpose."

Liara surveyed the room for anything she could biotically manipulate without drawing too much attention. Unfortunately, everything was bolted to the floor. She would have to play along with Thirty-Six's game until she could get a clear shot without endangering Feron.

When Thirty-six next spoke, his voice was suddenly much calmer. "It's interesting what you said earlier. You 'did what you had to.' That's not the first time you used that excuse, is it?"

"I don't want to hear any stories," Shepard had a touch of impatience in her voice. "What Liara's done as an information broker doesn't matter."

"Oh, I think you'll like this story. It's a very good one. It explains how _everyone_ got here. How the Drell wound up in this chair; how she became a broker; it even explains how you're walking around right now!"

Liara shifted uncomfortably. This was not how she wanted Leanna to find out, but there was nothing she could do right now, not without effectively killing Feron anyway.

Thirty-six looked from Shepard to Liara, then back. "Don't tell me she hasn't told you?" He laughed again, this time less manic but much more sinister. "Well, let me tell you the tale."

"No!"

Thirty-six turned back to Liara. "You shouldn't lie to people you claim to love. I'm sorry little girl, but you don't have much choice in the matter. This story will be told whether you like it or not."

"I do have a choice." Liara lowered her pistol. "Shepard, when Feron was captured, it was because I sacrificed him in order to recover your body."

Leanna's turned her head to Liara, still keeping her gun pointed at Thrity-six. "I thought Cerberus recovered my body?"

"They had your body because I gave it to them."

"Why… why would you do that? You knew what they did to me. You saw what they did to me, through my eyes. How could you give my body to Cerberus?"

"I had to. They said they could bring you back. I know they could have just as easily been lying, but I didn't care. I needed you back."

"Selfishness," Thirty-six chuckled. "You abandoned a comrade and turned your lover over to her worst enemies, just because you couldn't live without her."

"That's not true! That Galaxy needs Shepard. She's the only one who can stop the Reapers!"

"Ah yes, the 'Reapers'–" now Leanna really wanted to kill him, "–that you claim wiped out the Protheans. Tell me, if the Reapers exist, why is it that the Shadow Broker has never found anything to confirm their existence?"

Shepard gripped her pistol tightly. "The evidence is there. Anyone who's seen it and refuses to acknowledge it is either lying or fooling themselves."

Thirty-six laughed again. "No matter. The point remains that what Liara did was selfish, and now she will have to make a new choice, but it's the same as last time!" He cackled manically. "You can save Feron, whom you came so gallantly to rescue, but it comes at a price! You must leave behind Shepard!

"Oh, don't worry. She'll be quite unharmed. Of course, she'll be a prisoner of the Shadow Broker, never allowed to leave the confines of this station. It's safer for the galaxy anyway. They won't have to be bothered by her insane delusions of Galactic Reapers.

"So which will it be? The man you came all this way to rescue? Or the woman you profess to love, but probably hates you for what your selfishness has done to her?"

Liara turned to Thirty-six, a determined look in her eyes. "I choose—"

"Liara, you don't have to do this!"

"It is all right Shepard. I do have to do this. I choose Shepard."

Thirty-six seemed puzzled. His maniac smile faltered. "Really? You'd choose her? Even knowing you two might never have a future together?"

"I've sacrificed too much to get her back. Feron, the last two years, they might as well mean nothing if I hand her over to you. She may hate me for what I've done, but to deprive the galaxy of her is the worst thing I can imagine. Now do what you're going to do and let us get this over with."

Thirty-six's face contorted again, this time with rage. "Then so be it!" He jammed his thumb on the console button.


	18. The Hunt, Part 5

**Interrogation Room, Continued**

Liara's heart was racing. Time seemed to stand still. She turned to face Feron, waiting for the inevitable moment when the electricity with surge through him and burn out his central nervous system.

Nothing happened.

This had not gone unnoticed by Thirty-six, who was now mashing the console button repeatedly.

"What in the—"

Shepard raised her pistol. "Say 'Good Night' Thirty-six."

Liara, for whom time was still moving slowly, could see it all in her mind's eye. The pistol sheared a few atoms off the large metal block it used for ammunition. The shot was enveloped by a mass effect field and propelled forward, to the point that it had nearly reached the speed of sound when it erupted from the barrel of the pistol.

Upon emerging, mass effect field was merged with Shepard's own biotics, causing the shot to increase in velocity, rather than decrease. The shot was now spinning. It was almost beautiful as it crossed the room.

The shot then impacted Thirty-six's exposed head. The shields overloaded like they weren't even there. The mass effect field that enveloped the shot caused it to flatten out, spreading the impact over the majority of the man's forehead.

In that instant, time returned to normal as Thirty-six's head was obliterated. It did not explode like Vasir's, it was simply gone. His headless body fell backwards, collapsing onto the wall.

Liara just stood there, staring at the place where Thirty-six once stood. The only emotion she could convey was shock. "How… how did…?"

Tali ran over to the console, scanning it with her omni-tool. "I managed to disable the console remotely."

"But how did you…?"

Tali held up her arm with the omni-tool on it. "I believe the appropriate expression is 'Duh'."

Liara turned to Shepard, hoping for answers. Leanna tapped her visor. "While Thirty-six's attention was on you, Tali and I worked out the plan to disable his console, making it safe for us to stop him without endangering Feron. We would've let you in on the plan, but we had no way of communicating with you that he wouldn't have spotted."

"Why did you let him… make me choose?"

"Tali had just cracked it by then. I tried to stop you, but you just kept going."

Tali chimed in. "Guys, we've got a problem. Feron's chair is hooked into the Shadow Broker's mainframe. I managed to disable the console, but if we try to take him now the chair will still fry him."

Liara approached the unconscious drell. "Feron, can you hear me?"

He stirred, waking up. "Liara? Is that you?"

She took his hand. "Yes, it is me. I have come to rescue you, just like I said I would."

"You can't Liara. It's too dangerous."

"It is all right. We have already made it here. We just need to free you and make it to safety."

Feron gave a weak chuckle. "You can't take me out of here. The chair is connected to the Broker's information network. The only way to disable the mechanism is to take it out at its source, the Broker's office."

Shepard walked up to Feron's other side. "What can you tell us about the Broker?"

Feron turned his head towards the voice. "Who's that?"

"I'm Commander Leanna Shepard."

He turned back to Liara. His eyes were starting to focus again. "So you did it. You found Shepard. And she's alive too. At least now I know it was all worth it." He turned back to Shepard. "I'm afraid I can't be of much help. There's a VI monitoring my words. If I say the wrong thing, I'll be shocked, and in this state, that might knock me out again."

"Then we'd better hurry." She made her way to the door, Tali following close behind.

"Shepard, wait. About what I said earlier…"

Leanna cut her off. "Like you said Liara, we'll talk about it when this is finished."

* * *

The doors to the Shadow Broker's office opened.

Shepard entered, Liara and Tali flanking her. They all drew their weapons and pointed them at the thing they could only assume was the Shadow Broker.

The Broker was probably the most alien intelligent life form Shepard had ever seen. Its face was oddly flat, with horns emerging out of the top and odd fin-like flaps that she could only assume were sensory organs. Its triangular mouth contained rows of very sharp teeth, jutting out at odd angles. Just above the mouth were two sets of four eyes arranged in a type of parallelogram.

He was also very, very big. Bigger than a krogan even.

"I take it you're here for the Drell. A reckless move Commander, even by your standards."

"And I'm supposed to believe blowing up a building on Illium is your idea of subtlety?"

"My methods were extreme, but your actions required it."

"Nothing justifies what you have done!" Liara yelled, "The bombing, Vasir, caging Feron for two years like some sort of animal!"

"It was your hand that caused this Dr. T'Soni. You convinced Feron to betray me and give you the body. Now he serves as an example that disloyalty will not be tolerated."

Shepard spoke up. "What did you intend to gain by turning me over to the Collectors?"

"A great deal actually. Of course, now that you've destroyed them, I no longer need you alive. I can still use the Normandy's IFF to salvage the remains of the Collectors' base."

Liara glared at him. "You sound very confident for someone who is used to hiding. I don't know if you've noticed, but you _are_ outnumbered."

"Perhaps, though I'm surprised you brought the Quarian with you. Her supposed leadership on Haestrom resulted in the deaths of the majority of her team."

Shepard tightened her grip. "You shut up about Tali."

"It's pointless to challenge me. I know your every secret, while you fumble in the dark."

"You think so?" Liara smirked. "You are a Yahg. Your species was quarantined to its homeworld for the massacre of the Council's first contact team. This base's age predates the discovery of your planet, meaning you killed the previous Shadow Broker sixty years ago, and then took over with no one noticing the difference. I would wager you were taken from you planet by a trophy hunter looking for a slave… or perhaps a pet.

"How am I doing so far?"

In one swift movement, the Shadow Broker ripped his desk from the ground and threw it at the three of them.

Shepard had little time to react. She grabbed Liara, moving them both out of the way of the desk. Tali was not so lucky.

Shepard took a moment to steal a glance at Tali. She was unconscious, the Shadow Broker's desk on top of her. Her visor data told her that Tali was still alive.

Liara stood, Shepard rising with her. They both turned their guns on the Shadow Broker. They were in for the fight of their lives.

* * *

The cascade of information washed over him. For a moment, he didn't just _have_ information, he _was_ information. It was too much for him though. He could not handle the strain. His skin began to crack as the energy tried to escape. Within seconds, he was vaporized. Gone, without a trace.

Leanna lay on the floor some distance away. The sheer charge of the blast had blacked out her visor. She retracted it as she waited for it to reboot.

Liara approached. Her expression was unreadable, but she offered a hand. Shepard took it and helped herself up.

From the corner of her eye, she saw movement. Tali appeared to be stirring. Leanna walked over to help.

The Lights flickered and died for a moment before the back-up generators kicked in. Shepard knew that would be enough to disable Feron's chair.

As Shepard helped Tali, Liara noticed that the Broker's computers were coming back online. Signals were coming in. Various operatives and agents were asking what had happened.

Liara had been afraid of this. The Shadow Broker was in charge of an empire. If they killed him and then left, there would be a power vacuum. Unless…

Liara steeled herself, like she had done so many times before. She approached the console and brought up the comms, sending out a general message to all of the Shadow Broker's agents and operatives.

"This is the Shadow Broker. The situation is under control. We experienced a power fluctuation while upgrading hardware. It caused a momentary disruption of communications. We are now back online. Resume standard operating procedures. I want a status report on all operations within one solar day. Shadow Broker out."

"Liara? You… how did you?"

Liara turned to see Feron. He looked thinner than she last remembered and he was limping, but he was free.

"Everyone who has ever seen the Shadow Broker is either dead or in this room."

"So you become the new Shadow Broker?"

Shepard chimed in. "What about this strikes you as even a remotely good idea?"

"If we leave this behind, we lose everything he had. His contacts, his trading resources, not to mention the intelligence he's gathered over the decades. We may find the key to defeating the Reapers. With all this, maybe I can finally give you… I can…"

Tali grabbed Feron. "Why don't we get ourselves checked up? Somewhere far, far away from here."

They both walked out the main doors.

Leanna watched them leave, then turned her attention back to Liara. Her face was buried in her hands. Leanna gently touched her shoulder. Liara turned, tears in her eyes.

"It is over. Two years and it is finally…"

Leanna grabbed her and hugged her. Even through the armor, it was comforting to both of them.

"It's all right," Leanna whispered gently.

Liara drew herself back slowly, then suddenly kissed her.

She drew back just as quickly. "I'm sorry. I know it has been two years. We have both changed so much. We need to talk it out and…"

Leanna grabbed her again. "You talk too much T'Soni." She kissed her, drawing her in an embrace they both hoped would never end.

**End of Episode #3**


	19. You're Welcome

**Flashback – You're Welcome**

Miranda stared at the report she'd just written. It was odd to think she wouldn't be sending it anywhere.

To be perfectly honest, writing the report had been completely meaningless. She'd essentially quit her position with Cerberus and she knew that Shepard hated reading through paperwork. Still, there was something comforting about the act.

The door opened.

"Got a minute Miranda?" Shepard walked in.

Miranda looked at her terminal, then back up at Shepard. "I suppose this can wait. Have a seat."

Shepard sat in the chair on the opposite side of Miranda's desk. For a moment, the two women just looked at each other. Finally, Shepard spoke, "I want to thank you, Miranda."

"Thank me for what?"

"For standing by me. For supporting my decision to blow up the base. I was afraid that you were going to side with the Illusive Man and try to stop me from destroying it. That you didn't, well, it means a lot to me."

"It was a stupid thing to do."

Shepard was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Not you. You made the right decision. I didn't. I never should have quit Cerberus."

"You're wishing you had stopped me?"

"Shepard, I'm not like you. I can't just strike out on my own. I've always been working for someone. First it was my father, then Cerberus. I don't know if I can make it without them."

Shepard smirked. "Is that what this is about? Miranda, I've never been on my own. I make it by because I have my friends, my ship and my crew. Sometimes I feel like I only got where I am because better people helped me get here."

"You can't really think that, can you? What about Akuze? You survived while 50 others died."

"49 actually, thank you very much Cerberus. And second, I only survived due to dumb luck and… someone else who sacrificed her life for mine."

"There you go though. Why would someone else sacrifice their life for you they didn't see how important you were?"

Shepard shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Trust me, that wasn't the reason."

"I've met plenty of people in my lifetime, and not one of them would be willing to sacrifice themselves to save me."

"I would," Shepard stated flatly.

"Very funny Shepard."

"I'm not joking. Miranda, everyone on board this ship is like family to me. I'd risk my life to save any of them, including you."

Miranda was shocked. She'd been called many things in her life; some of them had even been complimentary, but family? Hell, her own father had never called her that. "I… thank you Shepard."

The two women sat in silence for a few moments before Shepard spoke up. "Miranda, I have to ask you something."

"Of course, what is it Shepard?"

"Am I… alright?"

Miranda was nonplussed. "What do you mean by 'alright'?"

"I'm just… worried is all."

"What are you worried about?"

"The Lazarus Project."

Miranda was even more confused. "The Lazarus Project is over. We brought you back."

"Did you?" Shepard stood and began pacing frantically. "I mean, you say I'm fine, and for all I know you're right, but how can I be sure? How can I trust my senses, if my memories are lies?"

Miranda was beginning to comprehend. "You're saying… you're not sure if you're the real Shepard?"

She stopped pacing and slammed her hands on the desk. "Yes!"

"Shepard, I supervised the Lazarus project myself. Even though the technology that brought you back was Wilson's, I was present for everything he did and I understood the science of it, possibly better than Wilson himself. I can assure you, you're the genuine article."

Shepard jabbed her hand at her temple. "But what about my mind? Just because you grew me from the original Shepard's body doesn't mean we have the same mind, does it?"

"Why don't you tell me? Look back on your memories. Do they inspire the same feelings they used to?"

Shepard sat back down, closing her eyes. "I… I think so." Her eyes opened. "But how do I know they're true?"

Miranda grabbed her hand. "Shepard, every cell in your body was dead, that's true, but the way your body was preserved, every cell in your brain was completely intact. We were able to restore nearly every one and the ones we didn't could easily be chalked up to a night of heavy drinking."

"You're sure? I'm… I'm really Shepard? I'm not just some clone with her memories?"

Miranda smiled, "You are one-hundred percent Shepard, through and through."

To her great surprise, this didn't cheer her up at all. Shepard laid her head on her arm and began a dry sob. "Then why don't I feel anything?"

The smile dropped from Miranda's face. "What do you mean?"

Shepard raised her head. Her face was dry but her eyes were red. "Every time I've lost people, it's hurt. When my squad died on Akuze, I was a wreck. When I lost Jenkins on Eden Prime, it hurt. When Kaiden died on Virmire, I was devastated. Now, Zaeed dies in the collector base, and I feel nothing, and now you tell me that's supposed to be normal!"

"I see. You wanted me to tell you that you were a clone, didn't you; that you were somehow not the real Shepard. I'm sorry, but I won't lie to you like that. You're the real deal and you have to accept that and learn to live with these emotions, or lack thereof."

"Miranda, I need help! I need to know why I don't seem to care."

Miranda thought for a moment. "Tell me, how close were you to your squad on Akuze?"

"We were very close. Most of us had joined the alliance together. I'd shared a barrack with half of them during basic training."

Miranda nodded. "And Jenkins?"

"I wouldn't say we were close. I'd only just met the kid a few weeks ago. Still, he seemed like a good kid. I thought he had a lot of potential."

"What about Kaiden?"

"Kaiden was a great friend. He was the first person who managed to bring me out of my shell after I lost my team on Akuze. Losing him was… a tragedy."

"Now, tell me how you felt about Zaeed?"

"He was… not the best person I'd known. His first reaction to everything seemed to be to shoot it or at least punch it. Ninety-five percent of his stories ended everyone _but him_ dying, to the point where I just stopped talking to him… I guess you could say… I didn't like him."

Miranda nodded her head again. "I'm no psychologist, but I think that's the reason you're not upset he's gone."

"But…" Shepard considered her words, "don't you think that sounds a bit… selfish?"

"Everyone's selfish Shepard, it's just to what degree. Zaeed's own selfish desires put him at the forefront of the distraction team. He used himself as a human shield and that got him killed. Maybe a part of you knew that would happen. Maybe a part of you wanted him dead."

Shepard cupped her face in her hands. "I don't want to believe I have that part in me."

Miranda grabbed her hand. "Everyone does Shepard. The trick is, saving it for people who truly deserve it. I don't think Mr. Massani will be missed by anyone, do you?"

Shepard thought for a moment. "No. No, I suppose you're right. I… I think the galaxy's a better place with him being dead, and I… I don't miss him at all." The words seemed alien to her, like she was spitting them out through a second mouth. She rubbed her eyes. "I don't want to have these thoughts anymore."

"Maybe you just need to relax."

Shepard stood. "Yeah, you're right. In fact, I was gonna head to Omega for a drink. Want to come with? It's just me, Kelly and Garrus right now."

Miranda looked at her desk, then back up at Shepard. "I don't think I'd be good company right now. Perhaps another time."

"Ok, then." Shepard headed for the door, stopping just before it opened, "And Miranda, thank you… for everything."

Miranda smiled. "You're welcome Shepard."

As the door closed behind Shepard, Miranda turned to her terminal. She saved and closed the report, then brought up her extranet-mail. She began a new message.

"Dear, Oriana…"


	20. Date Night, Part 1

**Episode #4 – Date Night**

**Entry 224**

I'm restless.

Kelly said I should start each of these log entries by saying how I feel. She said that if I want to be in a better place emotionally, I needed to be honest with myself, which meant being honest with how I feel. So yeah, I'm feeling restless.

It's just that there's nothing going on right now. When I was in the Alliance, I was always on assignment. Even when I was with Cerberus, I had a million things to do beyond my main mission. I feel like I'm sitting on my hands, twiddling my thumbs here.

Wait, that sounds kind of weird. How would you do both?

Ok, it's not like I haven't done anything. Still, I'd hardly call clothes shopping with Kasumi a thrilling experience for either one of us. She didn't like having to pay for it, and I didn't like being escorted out for threatening to shoot that bitch who snaked the pants I wanted. It was just a leg.

Kelly also says I have a bit of an anger problem.

Right now, the only thing I have left to do is to convince the Alliance and the Council that the Reapers are real and they're coming. Doing both those things requires intelligence gathering skills that I don't have. That means it's up to Liara.

It's been nearly two weeks since I've seen her. She said she needed some time to get the Broker's base put back together and figure out what she's doing there before we talk out what we're doing together. Thankfully though, we've at least established that we're together.

I think Tali's taking it a little hard. I saw her in the mess yesterday, and when I asked her how she was and she said she was "happy for me." I'm starting to worry that she might decide to head back to the Migrant Fleet. I don't think I could bear to see her leave.

Anyway, that's my log entry for the day. Kelly said I have to make one each day so I guess I'll be doing another tomorrow. I hate it, but she's got me by the quad. She keeps threatening not to feed my fish if I don't.

* * *

Leanna leaned back in her chair, brought her hand up to her face, stroked the bridge of her nose, and sighed. She looked down at the silk pajamas she was wearing. They were a "gift" from Kasumi, though she didn't remember her buying it. She thought about getting dressed.

She tapped the comm. button. "Kelly, any calls?"

"_No."_

"Any messages?"

"_No."_

"Any missions?"

"_No Commander Shepard."_

"It's a good job, huh?"

There was a pause. _"Is everything alright Commander? Do you need company?"_

As it wasn't one of her counseling days, she knew exactly what Kelly meant by "company". "Uh, no thanks Kelly, I'm good. I'll be up in the loft if anyone needs anything."

She switched off the comm. Again, she contemplated getting dressed.

Instead, she switched on her omni-tool. She loaded up a game that Garrus had convinced her to buy. In it, she was trying to knock down buildings that varren had made by launching pyjaks at them. The concept made no sense, but damn if it wasn't addicting.

She was in the middle of a particularly challenging level when her stomach growled. There was no escaping it this time; she'd have to get dressed.

After saving her progress, she walked over to her armor locker, which doubled as her wardrobe. She looked through the much more substantial wardrobe she had now. Of course, she wasn't looking for anything too elaborate, just something she'd be comfortable wearing around her crew. In the end, she settled on a simple engineer's uniform that looked a bit like her old Alliance fatigues, only a lighter shade of blue.

Fifteen minutes later, she found herself in the mess hall. At her arrival, she saw Gardner make a mad dash to put on the gloves she'd bought him. _Maybe I'll wait a few minutes before ordering anything._

"Would you like a seat Commander?"

She turned to see that Jacob was offering her the chair across from his. She looked at the chair, shrugged and said "Why not."

The chair she sat in was next to Garrus. Across from him was Kasumi, who was deliberately trying to look like she had _not_ just been cuddling with Jacob. She looked at the food in front of Jacob.

"Lunch already? You mean I missed breakfast?"

Garrus smiled, or at least what she'd always assumed was the Turian equivalent of a smile. "Maybe if you got up in time you'd make it to breakfast."

"I was up in time. I've been up for," she checked the ship time on her omni-tool; it was 1130 hours, "four and a half hours."

Jacob chuckled. "You spent four and a half hours in your room?"

Kasumi elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to almost choke on his sandwich.

Leanna lightly smacked Garrus's arm with the back of her hand. "It's your fault anyway."

"How is it my fault?"

"That damn game you made me buy. Ever since I got it, I play it whenever I'm bored, and I'm bored all — the — time."

Jacob had finished his sandwich and was holding Kasumi's hand. "Yeah, I liked the quiet for a little bit, but now…"

Leanna made a gesture to Jacob indicating her agreement. "Right? You know what I'm talking about. In the Alliance, we hardly had downtime. Shore leave only ever lasted what, a week, if that? Most days you spent on a ship you at least had something to do."

Kasumi let go of Jacob's hand to grab Leanna's. "I've got a great idea. Why don't you call up Liara and set up a date."

Leanna regarded her quizzically. "A date?"

Kasumi's smile broadened. "In fact, why don't we make it a double date? You and Liara with me and Jacob."

"Wait, what?"

Jacob turned to her as well. "Yeah, what?"

Kasumi looked at him from under her hood. "Oh come on. This is our one chance to do a couples night. It's not like there's anyone else we can double with, unless of course Ken and Gabby realize what's between them."

"What about Garrus?"

"Garrus is single sweetie."

"Yeah, but maybe he and Tali should hook up. I mean, they've both got that dextro-DNA thing, so they're biologically compatible, and they've known each other for a while. I think they'd be a good fit."

Garrus looked between Jacob and Kasumi, his mandibles quivering expectantly. "You really think she'd go for me?"

Kasumi shared a look with Leanna before speaking. "I don't think now's a good time. She's… um…"

Shepard chimed in, "Still mourning for her father."

"Yeah, that," Kasumi nodded.

Garrus's expression fell. "Yeah, you're right. It's too soon. I guess I didn't think of that." He looked at his half-finished tube of protein paste. "You know, I'm not hungry anymore. I'm gonna go work on some calibrations." They all said goodbye to Garrus as he headed for weapon control.

When he was out of sight, Kasumi turned back to Leanna. "So, double date? Come on, you owe me." She cast her a look that said, because of what I just did for you.

Leanna gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine, I'll call her. I'm not promising anything though. If she doesn't want to, then we're not doing it."

Kasumi smiled. "Trust me, she'll want to."

* * *

Leanna sat at her private terminal. She was trying to psych herself up to make a call. She didn't know why she was so nervous, it was Liara. Asking her out should've been the most natural thing in the world. This was different though. She'd never asked Liara on a date before. Hell, she'd never asked anyone on a date before.

After sitting there for fifteen minutes, she finally pressed the call button on the comm. The screen on her terminal went black, with a large white line spanning across it that oscillated with the voice that spoke. "This is the Shadow Broker."

She hated this part. "It's Shepard."

There was a pause before, "Vocal ID recognized. Securing connection."

The line began to expand both upwards and downwards until it took up the whole screen. He now saw a drell, the Broker's base behind him.

"Hi Feron. Is Liara available?"

"Actually, she left strict instructions that she was not to be disturbed…" he paused for a moment, "unless of course, you were to call."

Leanna gave a light smile. "Can you go get her for me?"

"Yes Shepard. One moment."

The screen returned to the white line for a moment. Leanna amused herself by flicking a few pyjaks at some varren. The screen flickered on again.

There was the most beautiful blue face Leanna had seen in quite some time. She looked even better because she was smiling. "Shepard, it is good to see you!"

Leanna smiled back. Every trace of nervousness was forgotten. "Hey there Blue. Long time no see."

"I am truly sorry about not calling you lately. I have just been very busy being the new Shadow Broker."

"Too busy to take a night off, like maybe tomorrow?"

"I do not know Shepard. I am unsure if I can…"

Leanna began to pout. "Please Liara, for me?"

Liara smiled. "Oh, alright. I suppose I could let Feron handle things here for a single evening. You know I can never say no to that face."

Leanna gave a coy smile. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Tomorrow, 1600 hours Normandy time. I'm not sure what that is on your station's time, but I'll send you a timestamp so you can set your clock by it. Deal?"

"I'll see you then Shepard."

As the call ended, Leanna was feeling much better about herself.


	21. Date Night, Part 2

**Entry 225**

I'm feeling a little anxious today.

The thing is… I've never really been on a date before. I know that Liara and I being together is the most natural thing in the world, but the idea of a date… well it scares the living hell out of me. And to make matters worse, it's not just a date but a double date. Ugh! I could just rip Kasumi's head off!

I think I finally decided on an outfit for the date. It's a sparkly blue dress I got the last time we were on Illium. Then again, that green one might work better. Damnit, now I've got to figure it out again!

Ok, moving on to food. That one shouldn't be too hard. What do people eat on a date? Wait, is this a food date? 1600 seems a little early for dinner. Should we do something first and then eat? God I am freaking out. I've got to talk to someone about this. Oh god, who do I talk to about this?

It's alright Leanna, calm down. I'll talk to Kasumi. She's the one who got me in to this, she can help me out. Not to mention she and Jacob are the only ones on the ship with a successful dating life.

I think Gardner's about to open up the kitchen. I guess I should go down for breakfast. Maybe playing a bit more "Crazy Pyjaks" wouldn't hurt though. I think I'm about to finish it and I heard there's some big boss fight at the end. Could be fun.

* * *

It was breakfast in the Mess Hall. Gardner was busy cooking. He'd managed to get one glove on this morning, though it wasn't the one that was touching the food unfortunately.

A few of the crew members were sitting at the larger table, either reading reports or talking between bites of food. The atmosphere on the Normandy had gotten a bit more relaxed since the Shadow Broker incident as there was very little anyone had to do.

Meanwhile, at the smaller table, Garrus and Tali sat, each apparently lost in their own thoughts.

Garrus finally broke through the silence. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"

Tali focused her attention on him. "Get tired of what?"

Garrus held up the tube he was eating out of; an identical one was attached to Tali's suit. "This. Day in, day out, eating the same paste for every meal, doesn't it get boring after a while?"

"I've… never really thought about it. Every meal I've eaten has been some sort of vegetable or protein paste."

"You've never even been curious? Never wanted to try some meat?"

"Of course I've been curious, but that's a major indulgence. For one, it's almost impossible to find someone willing to prepare meat in a way that a quarian could eat it. And even if you do, they make it so expensive that most quarians have to save up for years to afford it."

Garrus leaned forward slightly. "What if I told you that I know of a restaurant, no more than a few hours away by shuttle, that specializes in quarian and turian cooking?"

"That would be great, but there's no way I could afford to eat at a place like that."

"Then let me take you there, my treat."

Tali shook her head. "No way, that's too much money for anyone to be spending on my behalf."

Garrus held up a hand. "It's no big deal. The chef is a friend of mine. He owes me a favor. I'm sure I could get him to give us a discount. Besides, I'd really like to go to this place, but people always look at you funny if you show up alone."

Tali cocked her head to the side. "And they won't look at you funny if you show up with a Quarian?"

Garrus smiled. "Only the close-minded ones."

Tali thought for a moment. "Well…"

Out of nowhere, a fist hit Garrus on the side of the head, followed by someone yelling out, "You ass!"

Garrus grabbed the side of his head that had been struck and turned to face his attacker. "What the hell Shepard? That's my injured side!"

Leanna was standing there, her fists at her side, shaking with what looked like a combination of fear and rage. Tali took one look and began to leave, the tube of past still attached to her suit. Garrus reached out towards her with his free hand, but he was too late to stop her.

Leanna finally stopped seething enough to speak. "Why didn't you tell me there were _Thresher Maws_ in that game?"

Garrus rubbed the spot where she'd hit him. The bandage had come off a week ago, but his exoskeleton hadn't entirely healed yet. It was still soft, which was probably why Shepard had targeted it in the first place. "Thresher Maws… You mean you beat the game?"

"No." The anger seemed to quickly subside as Shepard slumped down in the chair next to Garrus. "I made it all the way to the boss fight, and then that Thresher Maw burst out of the ground and then… I froze up. I just sat there, staring at the display until the time ran out. And when it did, I turned off my Omni-tool and was overcome with the strong desire to come down here… and hit you."

"Did it make you feel better?"

She looked at Garrus. "No. If anything, I feel worse. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. It's not like you would've known what kind of reaction I would've had to that. Hell, I didn't even know I'd freak out like that."

Garrus continued to rub the side of his head. The pain was subsiding, but not gone. "No, I'm sorry. I should've known better. I knew what happened at Akuze, but I just forgot. It's just that I've never seen you be anything but level-headed when facing down a Thresher Maw."

"Trust me; I'm terrified whenever we have to fight one of them. It's just that, usually when I'm terrified, my instinct is to shoot. Most of the time when we've faced down Maws, we've been in a tank, and the one time we had to fight one on foot, I happened to have a mini-nuke-launcher strapped to my back. But here I was, alone, unarmed and half-naked in my quarters. What was I supposed to do?"

"To be fair, the point of the game was to throw pyjaks at it."

Leanna gave Garrus a punch on the arm, much lighter this time. She smiled. "I'm sorry Garrus. I over reacted and I think I scared Tali off. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Garrus thought for a minute. "Maybe you could talk to Tali for me. I was trying to invite her out to this restaurant that serves dishes made exclusively with dextro-proteins. Maybe you could get her to say yes?"

"Really? I thought you were going to wait a while before you asked her out."

"It's not a date; not a real one anyway. I just figure she could use some time to blow off some steam. I'm worried about her. I… know what it's like to have family problems."

"Yeah, about that… don't mention what I said to here, about her not being over the loss of her father. I don't want her to know I was talking about this to anyone."

"So you mean you'll do it?"

Leanna gave a smile. "I'll do my best. I'll talk to her first thing after breakfast." She stood and turned to the kitchen, only to see Gardner scratching himself with his ungloved hand. "And now I've lost my appetite."

* * *

A few minutes later, Shepard entered the Engineering room. Ken and Gabby were having a hushed conversation while casting occasional glances at Tali. Leanna cleared her throat behind them.

"Guys, give us a minute?"

Gabby spoke first, "I'm gonna go check on the Cargo."

Ken chimed in as well. "Aye, I'll help ya with that."

Without another word, the pair left the room.

Leanna walked over to Tali. She was slumped against the console in front of her and her head was in her hands. She saw the empty protein-past tube on the ground a few feet away. "Tali?" she asked tentatively.

Tali turned her head towards Shepard. "What do you want from me?" She sounded as though she'd been crying, though Leanna was unsure if quarians cried.

Leanna took a single step forward. "I… just wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to scare you off like that."

Tali straightened herself up and turned back to the console. "Fine, you apologized. Is that all?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine Shepard."

Leanna took another step. "Ok, I may not act like it sometimes, but I am a woman, and I know that when another woman says that everything's fine, it means that something is decidedly _not_ fine, so spill."

"Fine, you want to know what it is?" Tali turned to face her, placing her hand on her left hip. "It's you."

"Me?"

"Look Shepard, I have deep, strong feelings for you. I told you how I felt, and you said you had to talk to Liara first, and that was fine because I wasn't out of the running yet. Then Liara comes and she won't talk about it, so I encourage her to. Why, because I wanted you to be happy. Sure, part of me wanted her to decide it wouldn't work out and then we could be together, but I just kept telling myself it didn't matter as long as you were happy. But then, when it comes down to it, you two don't even talk it out do you? You just decided to get back together like the last two-and-a-half years never happened. And now, I'm still trying to say it's ok, just as long as you're happy, but it's not! It hurts! And I feel so alone!

"I know that if this were about anyone else, you'd be the first person I went to. You were there for me so many times, when Fist's goons attacked me, when I lost my squad on Haestrom, when my father died… but now it feels like there's no one I can talk to about this. The only person on this ship that I've known as long as you is Garrus, and I don't feel comfortable enough to talk about it with him.

"And then, once I finally get the courage to leave the lower decks and talk to someone, you burst in and punch Garrus as soon as he gets the courage to ask me out! That took a lot of courage, and you have to go all 'jealous girlfriend' on him over someone you already rejected!"

Leanna stood there in stunned silence for a few moments before speaking. "Ok Tali, first of all, I wasn't jealous of you and Garrus. I was upset at him for something he did that I thought he did for different reasons but he just forgot. Anyway, it had nothing to do with you and I'm sorry if I made it seem like that."

"Oh," Tali said in a mixture of relief, embarrassment and a slight bit of disappointment.

"And second, I'm sorry for not being there for you. You're my best friend and you've been there for me just as much as I've been for you. I don't think I could've gotten through the past few months since I was brought back without your help."

Tali quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around her. "No Leanna, I'm sorry." She pulled back. "I shouldn't have exploded like that. It's not your fault I've been so distant. I guess… I just needed to vent. Look, I'll be ok. You should go; you have that date with Liara tonight."

"You know about that? Oh god, who else knows?"

"The Normandy's a small ship Shepard. Gossip spreads fast."

Leanna shook her head. "I really wish we were busy; then people would have something better to talk about than my personal life." Suddenly, inspiration struck. "You know what? I think I'm going to start instituting some mandatory shore leave, starting with you and Garrus."

"What?"

"Yep, as the only two on board who require dextro-proteins, I'm grouping you two together. Take the shuttle, go to that restaurant, have some fun together and don't come back for 24 hours. And here, take this." She reached into the pocket on her right leg and pulled out a credit chit. "It's got about 15,000 credits on it. Use as much as you need."

"I… I don't know what to say. Thank you, Leanna."

"Well don't just stand there! Tell Garrus and then start packing!"

"Right!" Tali headed for the door.

"And remember," Leanna called after her, "24 hours. Then I want you back here to tell me everything."

Tali made a gesture resembling a salute as she walked backwards through the door. "Yes Captain!" As she turned, Leanna could see a bit of a spring in her step.

Leanna exited through the other doors, only to run into Ken and Gabby, kissing each other in the space between the doors.

Leanna looked at them and said, "Get a room you two."

A voice cried from below, "And stay out of mine!"

* * *

_Extra: How do you think Tali & Garrus's date will go? I want your input. Check my profile page and vote for how you think their date should go_.


	22. Date Night, Part 3

**The Loft**

"_Hey Commander, we'll be docking with the Shadow Broker's station in about 15 minutes. Just F.Y.I."_

"Thanks for the update Joker. Feel free _not_ to tell me every five minutes."

"_Just keeping you motivated. I know I'd've been ready and waiting by now if I was waiting for that big blue__—"_ Leanna jabbed her finger on the mute button before Joker could say which attribute of Liara he found the most appealing.

"He's right, you know." Leanna turned toward the source of the voice, Kasumi, who was rummaging through the locker. "You really should get up there."

"Like this?" Leanna indicated her body, which was wearing underwear only.

Kasumi placed her hand on her chin, regarding Leanna like a painting. "Well, you'll certainly get her attention."

"Ha ha, very funny. Will you be serious for a minute and help me figure out what to wear?"

"I keep trying to, but you keep shooting down my suggestions."

"Well, maybe if you made better suggestions, I wouldn't have to shoot them down," Leanna retorted.

Kasumi threw up her hands in exasperation. "Well if I keep making bad suggestions, why are you even asking for my help?"

"Because you're the only one on this whole damn ship with any fashion sense!"

Kasumi place her hands on Leanna's shoulders to calm her down. "Shepard, if that's really what you think, then maybe you should let me decide."

"I…" Leanna sighed. "Ok. Just… just make it a good one, alright?"

Kasumi smiled. "I've know just the thing." She moved back to the locker and started searching for a dress. "So what's got you so stressed anyway?"

"Well, you see," Leanna flushed a bit, "it's my first date."

"Really, I thought you and Liara…"

"We never really had a date. Not unless you want to count the time we killed Saren, or the time we killed her mother."

"What's a date without a little bloodshed?" Kasumi quipped.

Leanna chuckled a bit. "And anyway, I didn't just mean it's my first date with her. It's my first date ever."

Kasumi stuck her head out. "Really! But I thought you'd…"

Leanna held up a hand. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I've been around. It's just that… the guys I was with didn't really care about me as a person, and the girl I got with… let's just say that sometimes, life doesn't give you all the time you think you need with a person."

"I'm… really sorry. I didn't know."

Leanna nodded. "That's why this has to go well. I don't know if I'll ever get another shot at it. Something could happen tomorrow and one or both of us could be dead. I don't want it to end and regret the only date I ever had."

Kasumi emerged from the locker holding a silky green dress. "Wear this, and I guarantee no regrets."

Leanna put it on as quickly as she could. "Well? Does it look alright?"

Kasumi smiled widely. "You better be careful. You wear that dress long enough and even _I_ might sleep with you."

Leanna blushed.

* * *

With one minute to spare, Leanna strode confidently out of the elevator and through the CIC. She attracted few glances from the crew, who by now were used to the Commander wearing a dress, though this particular one stood out a bit more than the others.

Leanna soon found herself at the airlock, at which time she heard Joker say, "Just in time Commander, we're finishing docking procedures now."

"Thank you Joker."

"If you really want to thank me, take pictures."

Leanna rolled her eyes. "Don't push your luck."

A voice came over the intercom. _"This is Liara T'Soni, requesting permission to come aboard."_

Joker tapped a comm. panel. "Permission granted. Welcome aboard Doctor."

The doors hissed open. Through them strolled what was perhaps the most beautiful sight Leanna had seen in the past two weeks: Liara. Leanna took a minute to bask in the sight before she realized the expression on her face.

"Is something wrong?"

Liara realized that her mouth had been hanging open a bit. "It is just… that dress."

"You hate it, don't you? I knew I shouldn't have worn this. I never should've listened to—"

Liara raised her hands to stop her. "No, it is not that. The dress is lovely. What I meant to say was that it looks new."

The smile returned to Leanna's face. "Oh! Yes, it's new. I got it a few days ago."

Liara nodded. "I know that you were wearing the black dress before due to a lack of options, but I never expected you to intentionally dress—"

"—like a girl?" Leanna tried to finish.

"I was going to say 'formally'."

Leanna smiled. "I wanted to look nice for you. It's our first date together after all."

Liara's cheeks turned violet. "I am flattered Shepard."

"Besides, don't think I've gone too soft. I can still fit a pistol in this dress."

Liara looked her up and down. "Where?"

Leanna smirked. "You _don't_ want to know."

"I do," Joker called from the cockpit.

Leanna ignored him. "So, we've got about two hours before dinner. I figure I can give you a tour of the new ship and then maybe we can go to my cabin and talk."

"The talking sounds nice, but I have already seen the ship."

"Ah," Leanna smiled, "but you've only seen a few areas while you walked around it. You haven't gotten the grand tour from Commander herself."

Liara returned the smile. "No, I suppose I have not."

"Very well." Leanna extended the crook of her arm to Liara. "Come with me Doctor T'Soni. Let me escort you as we explore this mighty vessel."

Liara gave her a puzzled expression. Leanna lowered her arm, whispered something in her ear, then stepped back and extended it again.

"Uh… yes." She linked her arm with Leanna's "Come Miss Shepard, escort me through this… ship."

"We'll work on it," Leanna replied quietly as they headed into the CIC.

"Hey Commander," Joker called after. "Don't forget to set up a camera if you two decide to start reenacting Vaenia."

Leanna yelled back, "Don't be an ass, Joker."

"What is Vaenia?" Liara whispered.

* * *

"And here we are at our final stop, the Loft," the doors opened, "better known as my room." Leanna entered the room, Liara following close behind.

Liara gazed over the room. "This certainly is impressive."

"Isn't it?" Leanna spread out her arms. "It's almost twice the size of my quarters on the old Normandy, plus I get a fish tank, a skylight, and my own private bathroom."

Liara wandered over to the fish tank. "Your fish look well taken care of."

"Wish I could take credit for that," Leanna chuckled. "Kelly comes up here once a day to feed them. When I tried doing it myself, they all died."

"Yes, you and Miss Chambers seemed to be very close." She turned to face Leanna. "There is not… anything between you two is there?"

"Well, like half the women on this ship, she's madly in love with me." Leanna was only half joking with this. "But, I explained that I was a one woman girl and you were the one for me, so she backed off."

Liara laughed lightly. "I see you are still thinking of me as a woman."

"Am I wrong to?"

Liara shook her head. "My time spent among other races has shown that most binary gender species think of us this way. Still, as I told you back when we first met, the Asari do not have the concept of gender."

Leanna shrugged. "You know what they say: 'If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and can give birth to live children, then it's a woman."

Liara took a moment to process the confusing sentence before she said, "I see your knack for metaphor has not changed."

"You should see my simile," Leanna grinned.

The two made their way from the office alcove to the couch and sat down. A bottle of red wine and two glasses were waiting for them on the table. Leanna poured the wine and handed a glass to Liara.

"So," Liara said after taking a sip, "how are you doing Shepard? And I mean how you are really doing, not just what you tell your crew to keep their morale up."

Leanna downed half the glass before speaking. "I'm just taking it day by day. Some days, I worry about what's going to happen when the reapers come and no one's prepared for them because no one will listen. Other days, I just wish they'd show up and get it over with."

"You don't really mean that."

Leanna shook her head. "Of course I don't. I just… I have no idea what I'm doing or where I'm going. I feel like I've been moving non-stop since I first found out about the Reapers, and this wait is killing me. I feel like I'm not closer to stopping the Reapers than I was when we defeated Sovereign."

"Still, you have done more than most could claim against them. You defeated the Collectors in their own territory and… oh. I'm sorry; I forgot that you lost someone on the mission."

"You mean Zaeed, the one-eyed wonder merc?" Leanna laughed. "To be honest with you, I'm glad he's gone."

Liara was a little shocked. "I am… surprised to hear you say that. I never thought that you would speak so callously about the death of a teammate."

Leanna took another sip of wine. "That's the thing though: he was never really part of the team. He was just here for the money, and he made damn sure to remind me of that. I mean, yeah, I did favors for the rest of my squad, but I gained the trust of everyone, so much so that they're all sticking around, even though we don't have a mission right now. Zaeed though, he would've left the ship the moment we got back."

Liara raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Pretty sure, he said as much several times."

"You know Shepard, I know from experience that it can be difficult to open up to someone you've just met; to tell them you trust them, even though you have no reason to. Is it not possible that Zaeed trusted you but could not bring himself to tell you?"

A puzzled look spread across Leanna's face. "I don't… no. I don't think so. No, he couldn't have, could he?"

Liara shrugged. "I am unsure. I was simply telling you a possibility." She sipped her glass.

"Well, that was a downer." She drank the rest of her wine.

Liara set her glass down. "It is funny though. We finally get time alone together, and all we can talk about is others."

"Yep," Leanna replied, setting down her glass. "It's a real riot."

"So tell me—" Liara inched closer. "—what is it you want. If this all ends tomorrow, what happens to us?"

Leanna stretched her arms out on the sofa and leaned back. "You know, I was thinking of retiring, settling down, getting married, growing old, having a bunch of little blue children."

Liara gave her a playful shove. "You just say these things."

She stood, walking over to Leanna's second desk, upon which laid her old charred N7 helmet. Tears began to well up in her eyes. "Goddess Shepard, you were dead."

Leanna came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not anymore, and I have you to thank for it."

Liara turned. "We got lucky, but you burned that bridge already, and even if you had not, Cerberus no longer has the money to bring you back a second time." She moved next to the bed to look out the skylight at the stars. "When the Reapers finally come, you will be the first to dive into the fray."

Leanna followed her. "Liara?" she asked tentatively.

Liara turned to her, grasping her hands. "I spent two years without you, and I mourned for you every day. If we are going to be together, I need some sort of assurance that you will always come back."

"You want assurances? How's this?" Leanna freed her left hand and reached to the back of her ponytail. She undid the clasp that kept it tight and then removed the ring she had threaded her ponytail through for the last fifteen years. Without letting go of Liara's other hand, she got down on one knee.

"Shepard, what are you—"

"Liara T'Soni, will you marry me?"


	23. Date Night, Part 4

**The Loft**

Liara looked down at Leanna, her mouth open in shock. Not a sound came out of it.

"Liara? Anytime you want to jump in her with an answer would be good. My knee's starting to hurt."

Liara closed her mouth, then opened it. Still no words came. It took a second closing and opening before her mouth was able to make words again. "Shepard… Leanna, this is… lovely, but…"

Leanna started to rise, slowly. "There's always a 'but'," she sighed.

"No! I mean, I do not mean I am not saying 'no'. It is just… a big decision. I was not prepared for this at all."

Leanna sat on the bed. "Really? I mean, from what you said, I thought this was exactly what you wanted."

Liara sat next to her on the bed. "I just wanted a promise. I wanted you to promise me that you would never leave me like that. That you would never… make me leave you like that again."

"Isn't that what I was doing? I mean, isn't a proposal one of the biggest promises I could make to you? This ring," she held it up, "means that I will always come back for you. If there's an ounce of strength left in my body, I will come back and I will spend the rest of my life with you."

"And what happens when that strength runs out? What happens if you face the Reapers, and they manage to kill you? I do not think I could do it again. I do not think I could manage to get that close to you, only to feel you die again."

Leanna furrowed her brow. "What do you mean by feel me die?"

"I felt you die!" Liara sobbed. "I felt everything. I felt your panic as your air began to leak. I felt you suffocate as it ran out. I could feel the blackness overtake you. Every moment of your death, I felt."

Leanna placed her arm around Liara. "I… I'm so sorry. I didn't know that was even possible."

Liara began to wipe away her tears. "It is not unheard of among the Asari. If two that have bonded have a strong enough connection, they can share thoughts and feelings with each other, even when at a distance." She looked Leanna in the eyes. "So that is why I cannot have you, only to lose you again. I know that it may sound selfish, but losing you again would be worse than letting the Reapers take everything."

"Liara, you know that you're going to lose me no matter what. When this mess is over, and you and I are together, I'll have about one-hundred years left, maybe one-fifty if technology keeps up, but you'll have close to nine-hundred years left."

"I have thought of that. It would still be painful if you were to die like that, but at least I would have the comfort of all the time we spent together. I… I think I could live with that."

"Well, how about this then. The next time I go into a dangerous situation where it's likely I'll die, I'll bring you along. That way, if I die, you'll be right alongside me to die too." Leanna gave a small grin. "Or save my life, whichever one's easier."

Liara smiled gently. "You say that in jest but… I think that _is_ what I would like."

"Alright," Leann grabbed her hands. "Liara, I promise, no matter what happens I won't send you away. If there's a chance I may die, I'll take you along with me. And I won't leave you until the day I absolutely have to."

"Then my answer," Liara squeezed her hands, "is yes."

"You mean…?"

Liara nodded, smiling widely. "I will marry you."

Leanna placed the ring on Liara's finger. The two drew close and kissed.

* * *

"_Commander, Kasumi has requested that you meet her in the Mess Hall in thirty minutes."_

Leanna popped her head out from under the covers. "Thanks EDI. Let her know I'll be there." The blue orb disappeared. "Guess that's about all the time we've got."

Liara pulled back the covers a bit. "That is quite all right. I think I need a little rest after that."

"Really?" Leanna propped herself up on her elbows and gave a coy smile. "I was just getting warmed up."

Liara gave her a playful bop with a pillow. "It may be easy for you, but I am the one who has to enter your mind."

"Well, maybe if you taught me how to do it I'd be able help."

Liara bopped her again. "You know that it does not work like that."

"You never know? I'm a fast learner." Liara swung the pillow again. Leanna caught it this time. "Hit me with that pillow one more time and I'll hold you down and make you 'embrace eternity'."

"Promise?"

Leanna smirked. "Don't tempt me." She threw off the covers and sat up. "Come on, we've got to get dressed for this dinner."

"Can we not just stay in bed like this for the rest of the night?"

Leanna stood and began gathering up her clothes from the floor. "I wish we could, but I promised Kasumi we'd meet her for dinner."

"Please?"

Leanna turned to see that Liara had opened her eyes wide and pouted her lips. "You do _not_ get to use that face on me. I _invented_ that face."

"But I do not even know Kasumi," Liara pleaded.

"You know that she's my friend."

"Exactly, she is _your_ friend. I do not know her _or_ this Jacob she's with."

"I'd've asked you to invite your friend, but I didn't want Feron to feel like a fifth wheel."

"I thought that the appropriate term was 'third wheel'?"

"Not when you're talking about a double date." Leanna began putting on her clothes.

"What about Tali and Garrus? We _both_ know them."

"Two problems with that: one, they're not officially a couple; and two, they're not on the ship right now."

"What about Dr. Chakwas and—"

"You finish that sentence Liara, and I _swear_ I will never let you back in my mind."

Liara drew her fingers across her lips in a zipping motion.

Leanna zipped up her dress. "Come on Liara! I'm already dressed and you're just lying there like a fish! A very attractive, sexy fish that I… Just get dressed!"

"Fine," Liara sighed, resigned. She stood and began to put her outfit back on.

Leanna softened her tone. "Tell you what; give it to the end of the meal. If you're bored, give me a signal and I'll get us out of there."

"What kind of signal should I give you?"

"You're psychic honey, I'm sure you can figure it out."

Liara finished getting dressed while Leanna fumbled with getting her heels on. Soon, the two were ready.

"Are you going out like that?"

Leanna turned. "What's wrong?"

"It is just, your hair. I have never seen you go out in public with it down before."

"Liara, for fifteen years, I've kept my hair up by threading it through a ring. Now, that ring is on your finger."

Liara looked at it. "It is a beautiful ring."

"It was my mother's."

"Your mother's," Liara repeated.

"My father gave it to her when he proposed. The night before the fire… I found it. She told me about it: what it meant, its history. She let me hold on to it while I slept. It's… the only thing I have left of her."

"You miss her, don't you?"

"Don't be silly. How can you miss someone you barely remember?"

"You forget that I have been inside your head. Silly or not, you do miss her. You miss everyone that you have lost, on a level that I have only felt when I lost you."

Leanna turned away. "Could we not get into this right now?"

"I am sorry. I did not mean to upset."

"No, it's just…" she turned back. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to deal with these things, but it's hard. I don't want to drag the evening down letting this all out."

Liara embraced her. "We are together, nothing could bring us down."

Leanna smiled. "Come on. We've got a dinner to go to, and I want to show off my new Fiancée."


	24. Date Night, Part 5

**Deck 3, Mess Hall**

"How much do you want to bet they'll be late?"

Jacob Taylor turned to the woman who'd just spoke. "Never known the Commander to be late for anything. In fact, she's almost always early."

"Maybe," Kasumi retorted, "but you've only seen Shepard when she was single. Two people together, they lose all track of time."

Jacob folded his arms and cast a glance at her. "Speaking from experience?"

Kasumi gave him a look of faux-innocence. "Why Mister Taylor, what ever could you mean?"

Jacob shook his head. "Like I said though, no chance Shepard's gonna be late."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "This certainty you have, care to place a wager on it? Say, 50 credits?"

"Make it 100 and you've got a deal."

"D—" Kasumi heard a hiss coming from the nearby elevator. "On second thought, I think I'll keep my money."

Shepard rounded the corner only moments later, escorting a rather reluctant looking Liara.

"Hey guys," Shepard said with a rather large smile, "hope we're not too late."

Jacob smirked. "Actually, you're a few minutes early."

Kasumi gave him a sideways glance. "Don't remind me."

Shepard smiled. "I'm guessing there's a story there?"

"Not really," Kasumi replied evasively.

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "You two sure about that?"

Jacob shook his head. "Nothing that interesting Commander."

"I've told you before Jacob," she laughed, "call me Shepard."

"I'll keep that in mind Commander."

"Anyway, I don't think you've all been properly introduced." Shepard turned to face Liara. "Liara, this is Jacob Taylor and Kasumi Goto. Kasumi, Jacob, this is Liara T'Soni –" she paused, "— my Fiancée."

Liara smiled shyly. "It is nice to meet you."

Kasumi and Jacob just stood there, unspeaking.

After a moment, Shepard waved her hands to get their attention. "Guys," she asked, "Everything alright?"

"You're– you're engaged?" Kasumi managed to blurt out.

Shepard smirked. "You're that surprised?"

"It's just a little unexpected is all."

"Can we talk about this over food?" Jacob chimed in.

Kasumi smacked him lightly on the arm.

"What?" Jacob asked, annoyed. "I'm hungry."

Shepard chuckled. "It's OK. Let's sit down to dinner and I'll tell you guys all about it."

* * *

"So basically, the deal is: next time I go racing into the jaws of death, I take her with me. Then she said yes!"

Kasumi smiled brightly. "Congratulations."

Jacob raised his glass. "To Commander Shepard and Dr. T'Soni: a love not even death could separate."

"Thank you Jacob," Liara said. "That was very beautiful."

"So," Kasumi started, "Have you decided when you're going to have the wedding?"

Leanna set down her glass and swallowed. "Nothing firm yet, though I suppose we'd want to wait until this business with the Reapers is over."

Liara nodded. "Yes. I do not think we would have enough time to plan a wedding, much less have it while we are dealing with the Reapers."

"Well, I'm sure you two must at least have some sort of idea."

"Well," Shepard looked down a bit, "there was one thing…"

Kasumi raised her eyebrow inquisitively, "Tell."

"Well, I was hoping I could get Councilor Anderson to officiate."

"I take it you're not doing a traditional Asari Bonding Ceremony then?"

"Why?"

"An Asari Bonding Ceremonies is typically officiated by an Asari Matriarch," Liara explained. "It is alright though. I have no desire for a Bonding Ceremony. I want to have a wedding like you showed me."

Jacob cocked his head slightly. "You showed her a wedding?"

"Um, Liara, could we not…"

Liara didn't seem to hear. "Not exactly showed, but I've seen it in her mind."

"Seen what exactly?" Kasumi inquired.

Leanna brought her hand up to her eyes. "Oh god."

"Well, Leanna has had a dream wedding in mind since she was little."

Kasumi turned her gaze toward Shepard. "Is this true?"

Leanna nodded. "I'm sorry to say."

Jacob smiled. "So, I guess the Commander was a girl once."

Shepard glared at her. "Call me that one more time and I shove you out the airlock."

"Just playing Commander," Jacob chuckled.

Kasumi gestured to Liara, "I was just noticing the ring."

"What about it?" Leanna asked, thankful for the change of topic.

"It's just not what I've traditionally seen in engagement rings."

"Stolen a lot of engagement rings, have you?"

"Hey, say what you want, but there's something to be said for the traditional diamond engagement ring."

"If you must know," Leanna grabbed Liara's hand, "it was my mother's. My father gave it to her when he proposed."

"So what does the design mean?" Jacob chimed in.

"It's an Irish design called a Claddagh ring. My father was very connected to his Irish roots. You see," she pointed to the ring, "the Heart in the center represents Love, the Hands holding it represent Friendship, and the Crown at the top represents Loyalty. According to my Mother, it's been in my family for generations. At least, that's what my Father told her."

Kasumi looked at the ring closely. "And you've kept it with you all this time?"

"For the most part. I lost it for a short time, you know, when I died, but I managed to find it when I went to the crash site."

"Well it's in very good condition, having survived re-entry like that."

"It should've been. It was protected by the same thing that protected this." She tapped the side of her head.

Jacob gave a questioning glance. "You mean it was in your helmet?"

"That's right. I used to use it to keep my hair in that ponytail. I'm guessing Miranda didn't know that when they put me back together. She just saw from pictures that I kept my hair up and figured I'd want to keep it that way."

Liara took Shepard's hand. "Not many are aware of Leanna's sentimental side, but she does have one."

Shepard nodded. "I've lost a lot of people over the years — people I care about — but I keep their memory alive in my own way."

The four sat in silence for a moment before Shepard broke it. "Damn. Here we were talking about happy things like the wedding and now I've gone and depressed everyone."

"It is not your fault Shepard. Perhaps it is time we were done for the evening."

Kasumi reached her hand out. "You guys can't go yet. We haven't even had desert."

"Maybe they're in the mood for a different kind of desert," Jacob smirked. He then grunted as Kasumi elbowed him in the ribs. "What?"

"You can be such an ass sometimes."

"Maybe, but I'm your ass."

Kasumi shook her head then turned to Liara. "Well we've heard all about what you too are doing and we know plenty about Shepard already, so tell us about you. What's it like being the Shadow Broker?"

* * *

It was another hour before they managed to pull themselves away. Soon though, they found themselves back in the Loft.

"Wow, Kasumi sure can talk, can't she," Leanna said as she flopped down on the bed.

Liara sat down gently on the other side. "I like her. Perhaps we should invite her to be a part of the Wedding party?"

Leanna chuckled. "Liara, if we invited all the people I wanted to be a part of the Wedding party, we wouldn't have any guests."

"I believe there are plenty who would come; at least, plenty who would come to see you."

Leanna sat up on her elbows. "What do you mean?"

"It is just that… I know that I have made very few friends over the years. Even now, I am struggling to figure out whom I would have stand by me at our wedding. You though, you have so many friends that you are struggling to keep the number low."

"Liara, I'm sorry. I had no idea…"

"It is alright. I… I have always been fairly anti-social. Perhaps, as you once said, it was part of my rebelling against my mother. It took your constant visits to get me to come out of my shell. Still, I can count the number of friends I have on one hand."

Leanna grabbed her hand. "Look, the Wedding won't be for a while. You have plenty of time to go out and make new friends."

"I suppose that it true."

"And if it comes down to it, you can borrow some of my friends." Leanna smiled.

Liara returned the smile and the two embraced.

"So," Leanna started, "what do you say we do something fun?"

"Such as?"

"We could put on a bad vid and cuddle up together?"

"By which you mean you'll try to find 'Azure' again? You know, if you really want to find it, I could just guide you to it."

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?"

**End of Episode #4**


	25. Innocence Lost

_Author's Note: Normally, I'd have a brand new short story for you here. When I wrote the short story "Innocence Lost", it was essentially the story that should go here, but I really wanted to upload it when I finished it. Now I was stuck without an appropriate story to place here. On the other hand, I know there are those who haven't read the short story for whatever reason. In that case I present "Innocence Lost" in the official storyline. It has been edited slightly for content (I rated the original version 'M') and continuity._

* * *

**Flashback – Innocence Lost**

_I've only cried three times in my life. Each time was when I lost something important to me. The first was when I lost my parents. The third was when I lost my lover. This is the story of how I lost my innocence._

November 22, 2170  
2:38am  
Chicago

Leanna Shepard, age 16, sat in the corner of a small room, clutching her legs. The tears felt like they would never stop flowing.

It had been just over seven months since she'd left the orphanage to join the Reds, and in that time, she done many things she wasn't proud of to keep herself alive, but this day, she had done the worst thing yet. She'd done something she swore she would never do, and she hated herself for it.

She could almost hear the Nuns that raised her scolding her. They would say she committed a mortal sin. That was indeed what it felt like, and all done for a warm bed and a meal.

The tears still flowed, but she knew she could not continue in what she was wearing. She began to peel the blood-stained clothes off of her body.

The blood… She hadn't been prepared for the blood. She had seen blood before it was true, but never like this. She recalled her horror when she first saw it. She wanted to forget the whole thing.

She tossed the clothes in a pile on the floor, then rummaged through her rucksack, in which she carried everything she owned. She pulled out a clean set of clothes and placed them on the cot that had been hastily shoved in the room. She knew she couldn't put it on while she was still dirty, but she didn't want to leave the solitude of her small room.

Besides, she could hear that he was still out there.

Leanna grabbed a stained pillow off the ground and sat on the cot. She rested the pillow on her lap and placed her head upon it. Even as she drifted to sleep, she continued to cry.

No more than a few hours later, she awoke to a loud noise. She straightened herself up to listen. Could it be the man was coming back?

After a few minutes, she heard snoring. The man was sleeping. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She dug through her rucksack again, this time pulling out a towel. She wrapped it around herself and stepped out into the hall.

The hallway was dark, but she dared not turn on a light. Though he was snoring, she knew the man was not a deep sleeper. That was the one rule she had been given, do not wake him up.

A minute later, her eyes had grown accustomed enough to the darkness to begin walking. She kept her footsteps quiet by not raising her feet more than half an inch off the ground. It was a trick she had learned trying to sneak around in what she was increasingly considering to be better days at the orphanage.

Moments later, she felt her foot contact with a wall. She had reached the end of the hallway. To her left was the bathroom; to her right was the room where the man stepped. Carefully, trying not to make a sound, she opened the bathroom door and crossed the threshold. The door closed behind her as she fumbled for the light switch.

The florescent light flickered on with a hum. The bathroom was old. The toilet was missing its seat, the tile was chipped and yellowed, and the mirror above the sink was cracked. The tub had an unsightly brown ring around it and the walls that surrounded it were covered in mildew.

She turned on the faucet and, after five minutes of waiting, discovered that there wasn't any hot water. She was desperate enough though. She scraped the mold off the bar of soap and stepped into the icy cold shower.

The cold water felt surprisingly good. She rubbed the bar of soap on her skin. It didn't amount to anything approaching a lather but she felt cleaner just the same. As she moved the soap down her body, she discovered that she was peeing. She'd been too numb from pain to even notice. She figured it was alright though, seeing as how she had no intention of squatting over the seatless toilet.

Without warning, she remembered the screaming. It had happened during the event. She remembered the screaming coming out of his mouth and hers. The tears that had almost stopped swelled up again as she nearly collapsed in the shower. Only through sheer force of will did she manage not to hit her head on the rim.

She stayed hunched over, holding her knees as the water cascaded on her naked back. She wondered if she could go back. Would she be welcome back? Would the nuns accept her, even after all that she'd done? After what she'd done last night?

She rose, unsure of what to do next but no longer able to endure the cold of the water. After drying off the best she could, she wrapped the towel around herself and stepped back into the hallway.

_Clunk!_

The door shut behind her much louder than it had earlier. She stood in horror, listening for any sound that the man had heard her. All seemed quiet. She began to make her way to the small room, stepping as lightly as she could.

_Creak!_

A floorboard shifted under her foot. Again she froze, listening for the slightest sound that she'd been heard.

"Whozer?"

Dread crept over her. He had heard her.

"Izzat you Le-Le? Wudd I say 'bout wakin me?"

Leanna panicked. She knew what he'd do if she woke him, and she did not want to go through with that. She ran as fast as she could to the small room and shut the door behind her. She barricaded the cot against the door and leaned against it, clutching the pillow.

"Please don't let him come for me," she whispered. "Please don't let him come for me, Please don't let him come for me."

She opened her eyes. Morning had come and she hadn't moved from her spot. She listened intently. All was quiet. The man must have already left.

Slowly, she stood up and began to pull the clothes off the cot. She tossed the damp towel onto the heap of clothes in the corner and dressed herself. She then moved the cot away from the door and stepped back into the hallway.

She looked back down the hallway to the end. Both the bathroom and bedroom door were wide open. She was sure the man had left now. Deliberately, she stepped the other direction, towards the kitchen of the small apartment.

It wasn't much of a kitchen. It was a few counter tops with half a refrigerator built into one of them. The stove consisted of three burners arranged so close together you'd never be able to fit more than a single pan, and the stove was only about twelve inches wide and a bit over half as deep.

A note sat on the counter next to a small piece of plastic. She pocketed the plastic before reading the note.

_No food. Here's a 20 credit chit, buy it yourself. Come back anytime, long as you're willing to pay up like yesterday._

_Brent_

_P.S. Happy Thanksgiving_

She ran back into the small room, crumpling the note and tossing it on the pile. It was one thing to take food and shelter for what she'd done, but money? It made her feel dirty. She tried to cry again, but tears wouldn't come. It seemed she was all out.

She searched through her rucksack for something, anything that could make her feel better. She pulled out three things, a pearl-handled switchblade, a red lighter, and a silver ring.

She stared at the ring. It had belonged to her mother; that much she remembered. It was the last thing she had of her mothers, and she had let it sit at the bottom of a sack! How could she be so thoughtless!

She clenched her fist around the ring, grabbed the blade and headed to the bathroom. The mirror, though cracked, was clean enough to see through properly. She threaded her hair through the ring into a ponytail. It held her hair in place surprisingly well. She then brought the blade up to her hair and cut it. The fine edge of the blade made a clean cut.

She pocketed the blade and walked back to the kitchen. There was an unlabeled bottle on the counter that she knew to be filled with alcohol.

She brought it back to the small room and stood in front of the pile. She opened the bottle and began pouring the strong-smelling alcohol over it. As she did so, she made an oath to herself.

"I, Leanna Shepard, promise to never give up and never give in. Though the world tries to break me, I will not break. I promise never to cry again. If I feel I need to cry, I will remember last night, and that I already cried for this. I will find my way out of this hell somehow."

With the bottle emptied, she picked up the lighter, flicked the switch, and lit the pile. The flames rose in an instant.

She grabbed her rucksack and went to the front door of the apartment. She carved something on it then left the scene behind her.

Later that day, Brent Paine returned to his small apartment. The small room where he'd let Leanna sleep had burned for nearly half an hour before the automated fire suppressors kicked in, but it was more or less intact.

Brent scratched his head as he walked back into his main room. Then he saw the door. Carved into it were Leanna's parting words to him.

_I'm Not Your Whore!_

* * *

Leanna sat bolt upright in her bed. She was dripping with sweat. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"It is alright Leanna. You are not there anymore."

She turned to the blue face next to her. "You… you saw that?"

Liara nodded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to have to live through that… like I did."

Liara shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. I love every part of you, both the good and the bad. This is just part of what makes you who you are: the woman I love."

Leanna smiled. "You always know just what to say."

Leanna slept peacefully for the rest of the night.


	26. Top Secret, Part 1

**Episode #5 – Top Secret**

**Kodiak Drop Shuttle, Sowilo System**

"_This is Normandy, you are clear to come aboard."_

"Thanks Joker." Garrus activated the shuttle's autopilot. "Good to be back."

"You know," Tali started, "I had a really good time. I don't even care that we didn't get to eat at the restaurant."

"Yeah, sorry about that. If I'd known they were operating on Turian Standard time…"

"Really, it's OK. I had fun just spending time with you."

Garrus moved his mandibles in a close attempt at a smile.

The Normandy's hanger doors opened before them as the shuttle drifted in. Tali had to restrain herself from opening the shuttle's doors before it stopped when she saw who was waiting for them.

"Shepard!"

Garrus placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think she can hear you. The comm's not on right now."

As soon as the shuttle landed, Tali burst out and ran straight for Shepard. Garrus watched her with a dejected look on his face.

"Shepard!" Tali ran up to her and preformed her quarian salute. "Here to make a full report Captain!"

"Report?" Shepard had a blank look on her face.

"You know, the report you wanted me to give you… you said '24 hours. Then I want you back here to tell me everything.'"

"Oh," Shepard replied distractedly. "Yeah, I forgot about that."

"You… forgot? Then why were you here waiting for us."

"I was just down here checking on some things."

"Oh. Well, that's OK. I can still tell you everything that happened."

"Actually," she interrupted, "can it wait till later? I've got some business to attend to."

"A mission?" Garrus had finally gotten over to the two.

"Not exactly. Just something I have to take care of. By myself."

"Oh," Tali's voice was as blank as Shepard's face. "I guess we'll just… get out of your way."

Shepard nodded absently.

Tali and Garrus boarded the Elevator.

"Is Liara still here?" Tali asked, keeping the doors from closing. "I was hoping I could talk to her. Last time we talked some… unpleasant words were said."

"No," Shepard replied. "She had to get back to her Shadow Broker business."

"Oh. I guess I'll… talk to you later Shepard."

"You too."

* * *

_**The Loft, One Hour Previously:**_

"You cannot just send me away!"

"Liara, you have to."

Liara ran her hands along her fringe in frustration. "This is exactly the kind of situation I was talking about!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You said if there's the possibility you might die on a mission, you would take me along." Liara lowered an accusing finger in Shepard's face. "You promised me!"

"I said if I was going to _die_. I'd take you if I was going to die."

"You said if there is a chance you may die. Is there?"

"Liara, there's a chance I may die taking a shower in the morning. Do you want me to take me with you every time I take a shower?"

"I… what?"

Leanna walked over to Liara and grabbed her hands. "Liara, if I could, I'd take you with me in a heartbeat. Hell, I'd have taken you through the Omega-4 Relay if you would've let me."

"I know. I'm sorry I didn't come with you, but I…"

"It's alright. You don't need to apologize, just to listen. I have to do this alone. I mean I literally have to do this and it literally has to be done alone."

"Can you not at least tell me where you are going?"

Leanna shook her head. "I can't tell you that, and you have to promise not to use your connections to find out."

Liara pulled back, frustration creeping in again. "Why not?"

"I'm just trying to protect you. The less you know about this, the better it is for you."

"I'm not the same naïve asari you rescued two years ago. I don't need you to protect me anymore."

Leanna threw her hands up. "The whole galaxy needs me to protect them! And I know you're not naïve like you used to be, but I still need you to not know about this. At least, not until after it happens."

"But why? What is so goddess dammed important that you cannot tell me?"

"It's just… I might have to do things. Things I won't be proud of. If you find out what they are, you might try to stop me. Or worse, you might not. I don't… I don't want you to have to make that choice."

"I… I see."

"Look, I will make a promise to you, right here and now." She grabbed Liara's hands again. "I don't care what I have to do, but I swear on the lives of our future blue babies that I will make it back to you in one piece. Can you trust me to do that?"

"I… I think I can."

"Good."

Silently, Liara headed for the door of the Loft.

* * *

_**Now:**_

Thane Krios sat pensively in the life support room. The door behind him opened.

"Is that you Siha?"

"No, it's me Garrus."

Thane turned slightly. "Yes, of course. Come in."

Garrus walked in the door and around to the other side of the table.

"Please," Thane gestured to the chair, "have a seat."

Garrus sat. "Sorry to burst in on you like this."

"Not at all. I find myself happy for company, this close to the end of my life."

"You're uh… looking well. Better than the last time I saw you anyway."

"Thank you. Doctor Chakwas has me on a new treatment. It's not slowing the progression of the Kepral's Syndrome, but it is lessening the symptoms."

"I'm… sorry."

"Don't be. I've reached a point in my life where I can truly say I have no regrets."

"I wish I could say the same."

Thane steepled his fingers. "Am I correct in assuming this is what you wanted to talk about?"

"Yeah." Garrus rubbed his head. "This past day has just been… confusing."

"Didn't you and Tali'Zorah have a date together?"

"Yeah. And no too."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Well, we went out together for 24 hours, I'm not sure it was actually a date though."

"What happened?"

"Well, I wanted to take her out to this nice restaurant that serves food specifically for Turians and Quarians. Well, technically just Turians, but Quarians can eat the food just fine. Anyway, we got to the restaurant and it was closed. Apparently they operate on Turian Standard time, which is what all the Turian ships operate on too. Unfortunately, that meant we showed up about an hour after closing time and the restaurant is only open for dinner. If we went back when they opened, we'd miss the scheduled pick-up.

"Now, my first idea was to call the ship and ask for an extension, but Tali said she didn't want to bother Shepard in the middle of her date. Instead, we wound up renting a hotel room on Illium, raiding the mini-bar, ordering room service, and watching some of the vids they had to rent. When it was over, we came back to the ship."

Thane nodded. "It sounds like you had an enjoyable evening."

"I thought it was too, and I even thought she enjoyed herself. The thing is, as soon as we got here, it was like she started completely ignoring me and fixated entirely on Shepard. I know she's had a thing for her in the past, but I thought she was over it. Shepard certainly seems to be."

"Someone like Shepard can be… difficult to move on from. If it's true that Shepard doesn't reciprocate those feeling, she should eventually be able to move on."

Garrus rubbed the uninjured side of his face. "Maybe you're right. Still, that wasn't the worst of what happened."

"What was the worst?"

"You remember what I said about that restaurant? About how they operated on Turian Standard time? Well I was talking to someone, I think it might've been the manager, and he said: 'If you were a real Turian you would have known that.' Like suddenly it's my fault they're closed!"

"It can be difficult to have your pride challenged like that."

"How do you deal with it, Thane?"

Thane gave him a confused look. "Deal with what?"

"Deal with being the only one of your kind on a ship filled with aliens?"

"I try to remember the reason I am out here. I am doing more good now than I would among my own people."

Garrus sighed. "Maybe we were, back when we were busy stopping the Collectors. Now what are we doing? We're just sitting around, waiting for something to happen."

Thane raised one of his brow ridges. "Are you considering leaving the ship?"

Garrus shook his head. "I don't know. I've been thinking about it. My Mother's sick. She's getting treatment but I don't know if it's enough to save her. I shouldn't be letting my brother shoulder that whole burden alone, but I don't know what else to do. If I stay here I feel like I'm abandoning my family, but if I leave, I'll feel like I'm abandoning Shepard."

Thane thought for a minute. "Perhaps the problem is that you haven't talked to Shepard about this. You're worried about abandoning her, but you've never stopped to ask if she would feel abandoned."

"I know, you're right. It's just, I can never seem to find the right time. Every time she asks if I want to talk, I just make up something about 'calibrations'. Anyway, I'm still not even sure if I want to leave. I'm just entertaining the possibility."

"Even so, it is best for you to discuss such a possibility with Shepard. She may be able to provide you with insight you wouldn't have otherwise."

"You're right." Garrus stood and headed for the door. "Thanks for the talk Thane."

"You're welcome. Come back any time."

* * *

Tali'Zorah, lost in thought, barely realized where she was until she very nearly bumped into Joker's chair.

"Whoa, watch it there Tali. Don't wanna break something on me."

"Sorry Joker. I've just… got a lot on my mind."

"Looks like it." Joker swiveled his chair around to face her. "So, what brings you up to the cockpit?"

"I'm just… a little concerned about Shepard. Has she seemed… odd at all to you?"

"I'll be honest; I haven't even seen her since she met Liara at the airlock last night."

"You mean she didn't even see Liara off?"

"No, but I don't really think the Commander's ever seen anyone off the ship, least not what I've seen."

"Did Liara mention anything as she was leaving?"

"Not really. She was pretty quiet the whole time. Not that that's new for me. Don't think I really made a good first impression with her."

Tali chuckled slightly. "What did you expect? She gets saved from a collapsing mine and the first thing you do is crack a joke about it. She probably thinks you can't take anything seriously."

"She's probably right."

A hiss sounded from behind Tali. She turned to see Shepard striding quickly to the cockpit. Kelly left her post to follow.

"Shepard," Tali called as soon as she was in range. "I've been looking for you. I need to talk to you about…"

"Can it wait? I need to talk to Joker about something." She turned to face Kelly who had just managed to catch up. "Privately."

Tali and Kelly made their way back into the CIC.

"What do you think…" Kelly began before Tali hushed her.

Tali used her omni-tool to increase the sensitivity of her suit's external microphones until she could clearly hear the conversation.

"…setting in a new course. When we get there, I want you and the Normandy to wait by the gate. I'll be taking the Kodiak out alone."

"Don't suppose there's any chance of you telling me what this is about," Joker replied.

"Not this time. I need you to do what I say, and do everything in your power to keep the people on this ship safe, even if it means leaving me behind."

"Come on Shepard, you know we can't leave you behind."

"Joker!" Shepard replied sternly. "I need you to protect the lives on this ship. That's your job here. Just stay by the relay and don't leave unless I call for you. Got it?"

"Shepard…"

"Got it?" Shepard repeated, firmer this time.

"Aye Commander."

Shepard walked briskly out of the cockpit and past Tali and Kelly.

"Shepard?" Tali called after her.

"Later Tali." Shepard entered the elevator. The doors closed behind her.

Tali and Kelly walked back into the cockpit where Joker was still turned around, facing them.

"Ok, yeah. I can see what you mean about acting weird."


	27. Top Secret, Part 2

**Normandy SR-2, Cockpit**

Tali looked at Joker. "So I'm not just acting paranoid here?"

"Oh you are, but I think in this case you're fully justified."

Tali cocked her head. "Thanks?"

"Don't mention it."

Kelly shook her head. "I know I haven't known Shepard as long as the two of you, but based on her psychological profile, as well as the sessions we've had together, everything she's doing seems… just wrong."

"I know what you mean," Joker added. "As long as I've known the Commander, she's never leapt into a situation like this without at least giving us some idea about what was going on."

Tali nodded. "And she's never asked us to leave her behind."

"She would," Kelly corrected, "but only if she felt there was no way to save her."

"What could she be involved in that would make her shut us out like this?" Tali asked.

Kelly thought for a moment. "Maybe we should split up, ask around. Someone else may know what's going on."

"Ok," Joker pointed to Kelly, "You ask around this deck. Tali, you check Engineering. The two of you can check the crew deck together. I'm going to stay here and try to break as few bones as possible."

Tali shook her head and began to walk away. "Whatever you say Joker."

Kelly followed behind Tali. "So how do you want to divide up?"

"Actually," Tali tried to keep her voice down, "Joker's plan was good so we'll do that. Just don't tell him I said so."

They hadn't taken two steps before a voice from behind them spoke up. "I heard that!"

* * *

As Kelly entered the research lab, it occurred to her that this was the first time she'd entered it since Mordin had arrived on the ship. Sure enough, Mordin was busy at his lab table, dropping various chemicals into petri dishes that contained things she'd rather not think about. Kelly approached Mordin slowly, then cleared her throat to announce her presence.

Mordin looked up. "Miss Chambers. Something I can assist with?"

"Hello Mordin," Kelly replied nervously. "Um, I know we… don't really talk that much, but I was hoping you could… um… help me with something."

"Figured as much. Reason I asked."

Kelly let out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, I don't know what's wrong. I just feel a little embarrassed asking you this. It's just that… have you noticed anything strange? About Shepard that is."

"Was in here earlier," Mordin looked thoughtful for a brief second, "seemed fine."

"She was in here earlier? Did she tell you anything?"

He shook his head. "Didn't speak directly. Was dealing with experiments to eliminate particularly stubborn virus. Assumed she didn't stop to talk because I was busy. Did access research terminal before she left."

"Do you know what she accessed on the terminal?"

"Can find out." Mordin walked over to the console and began typing. "Downloaded educational pamphlet on Batarian Biology. Fascinating read. Example: Batarian reproductive organ is located in—"

"I already know," Kelly interrupted, shuddering.

"Thought you shared a love for all species of the galaxy?"

"True, but a girl's gotta draw the line somewhere." Kelly changed the subject, "Did you happen to catch which way Shepard went after you saw her?"

"Went that way." He pointed towards the doors that led to the armory.

Kelly started for the doors. "Thanks for the help Mordin."

"Quite welcome, Miss Chambers."

* * *

"Well that was thoroughly unhelpful," Tali muttered to herself as she left Grunt's little nest in the Cargo area. Apparently, Grunt knew less about what was happening on the ship than she did.

Tali made her way through the corridor towards engineering. She had only just walked through the first door when she was flung sideways into the wall by Engineer Donnelly who had been driven up the stairs by a blue biotic bolt.

Jack's voice called up the stairs, "If you _ever_ call me a thief again, I'll…"

"I wasn't callin' you a thief; I was just askin' a _bloody question_!" Kenneth yelled as he tried to right himself. "Sorry 'bout that Tali, just dinnae wanna get hit with that."

"I'm alright. The suit's not damaged." Tali peered down the stairs. "What exactly happened down there?"

"Oh nothin'. Just a minor disagreement between coworkers."

Tali folded her arms. Even without seeing her face, she was sure he could feel her scowl.

"All righ', all righ', just don't gimmie that face." He smirked at his own joke. "Gabby and I were doin' some inventory, just makin' sure everythin' matched up properly, and it turned out we were short 'bout one-hundred units of eezo."

"And you thought Jack stole it?"

"Ah never said stole. Ah just figured she maybe… borrowed it and forgot to tell someone. Anyway, she got pissed and tha' whole blue mess started swirlin' 'bout her so I figured I oughta run and… well you know the rest."

Tali thought for a minute. "Was anything else missing when you did inventory?"

"Aye, now that ya mention it, there was a missin' fire extinguisher. Dinnae think much 'bout it though when the eezo wound up missing."

"And has Shepard been around here recently?"

"Oh sure, she was down here 'bout an hour ago. She was rummagin' through the cargo and complainin' tha' she couldn' find a thing down there. In fact, tha's where we got the idea to do inventory in the first place."

Tali nodded. "Thanks Ken. I think that's all the information I need down here." She started for the corridor.

Kenneth gave her a perplexed look. "Information for what? D'ya think Shepard took the eezo? 'Cause if she did, I think that's fine. I mean, it's her ship."

Tali left without answering.

* * *

Samara was meditating, much as she always did this time of day, when Kelly entered.

"Uh… Samara? Am I interrupting anything?"

"Not at all, Ms. Chambers." The biotic glow faded from Samara as she answered.

"You can call me Kelly."

"Very well, Kelly." She stood up. "Is there something you wanted?"

Kelly did her best to explain, "It's just that, some of us have been concerned with Shepard's recent behavior. She's been distant and giving orders that we don't fully understand. We were wondering if you'd seen anything that might explain what's going on."

Samara took a moment to ponder the question. "I am sorry to say I have not. In fact, I have seen very little of Shepard since the young maiden came aboard."

"You mean Liara?"

"Yes," Samara replied. "She has taken up much of the Commander's time."

"Well that's to be expected. Still, what I'm talking about is something that happened either just before or soon after Liara left."

"I am afraid I will be unable to help you with this Kelly. I have not seen her today."

"Oh, well, thanks anyway." Kelly turned to leave.

"I did see her though."

Kelly stopped. "See who?"

"The young maiden, Liara. She was eating her morning meal, alone."

"Did you talk to her?"

"No, I prefer to eat alone, but what I did see of her was the face of a woman concerned. The same concern I see in your face right now."

"Of course I'm concerned. Leanna's my friend."

"That is not the concern one has for a friend, or even a commanding officer. The concern you have, and that the young maiden had, go much deeper than that." A knowing smile crossed the asari's face. "It is a concern I share."

"What do you mean?"

"Go, find what you can about what Shepard is doing, but know that she would never act this way without reason. If there is a problem, it falls to us to help. Or, if need be, stay out of the way."

Kelly left Samara's quarters, thoroughly confused. At the same time, Tali was walking out of the opposite set of doors.

Kelly spoke first, "So, what did you find?"

"We're missing a fire extinguisher full of eezo, and it's Jack's time of the month. What about you?"

"She's researching Batarian physiology, borrowed Legion's sniper rifle and after talking to Samara, I'm convinced that nearly half the ship has a thing for Shepard."

"Really," Tali chuckled nervously, "who would've thought that?"

"You too?"

"Please don't tell anyone?"

"Trust me," Kelly reassured her, "I don't think we're even on her radar."

Tali thought for a moment. "So I guess that just leaves us with…"

"Miranda. Yep, not looking forward to it either."

The two made their way to Miranda's room.

"So," Tali broke the momentary silence, "Shepard's studying Batarian physiology?"

"Yeah."

"Did you know that they keep their reproductive organ in their—"

"I know."

They both let out a shudder.

* * *

Miranda stared at the device on her desk. Shepard had gotten it for her on her last shopping trip, but even now it held her interest. She'd said it was something people used to put on their desks back when those desks were exclusively planetside. Shepard called it a "clacker-ball dealie". Of course, Miranda had since found out it was called a "Newton's Cradle", but she still found Shepard's name for it amusing. These thoughts were on her mind when her door opened.

Miranda looked up. "Hello Tali, Kelly. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Hi Miranda," Kelly started. "There was something Tali and I wanted to ask you."

Miranda raised an eyebrow. "And that something would be?"

"Well, um… I'm not sure how to ask you this but…"

Tali spoke up, "Have you noticed Shepard acting strange today?"

Miranda leaned back in her chair. "Not really. She seemed fine earlier today when I patched a call through to her quarters."

Kelly scrunched up her brow in confusion. "Patched through a call? Isn't that supposed to be my job, or failing that, Joker's?"

"True, but you were finishing up your breakfast at the time and Joker was… otherwise indisposed."

"I don't think I want to know what you mean by that," Kelly replied.

"No, you really don't."

Kelly recalled her conversation with Samara. "You said during breakfast? Who was the call from?"

"Not quite sure. He said he was Alliance. Gravelly voice, though the authority in it made it sound like he was someone important."

Tali thought for a moment. "That sounds like Admiral Hackett."

Kelly's eyes widened. "Thanks for your help Miranda. Tali, we need to go." She took her by the wrist and pulled her out the door. Neither one of them saw Miranda smiling after them.

It wasn't until they were in front of the elevator that Tali was even able to speak. "Kelly, what's going on? Why are you pulling me?"

"We don't have much time," Kelly said as they entered the elevator. "The Normandy just entered the Relay."

"I don't understand. What are we hurrying to?" The doors shut as soon as Tali entered.

Kelly pressed the button for the hanger on the control pad. "Shepard received a transmission from Admiral Hackett this morning. Since then, she's sent Liara away, been researching Batarians, gotten a new sniper rifle, and filled a fire extinguisher with eezo."

"You do realize that fire extinguisher full of eezo thing was hyperbole on my part."

Kelly shook her head. "She's on a mission to a Batarian base and she plans to blow it up. She's not sure if she's going to survive, so she's leaving the ship here and telling Joker to leave if she doesn't come back."

"Close."

The two turned to the elevator doors which were now wide open. Shepard was standing in front of them, fully geared.

"You know, I spent this whole time trying to keep everyone from worrying about me. I guess that just made everyone worry more."

"Shepard, I…" Tali started.

"We Just…" Kelly said at the same time.

Shepard grabbed both of them and hugged them with each arm. "It's ok guys. You don't need to worry. I'm going to be fine."

Both Tali and Kelly sighed, comforted by both the hug and Shepard's words.

"_Shepard,"_ Joker's voice came over the intercom. _"We've cleared the Relay. You are Go for launch."_

She released the two. "Guess that's my cue. Don't worry, I'll be back soon." She headed for the shuttle.

"Shepard," Tali called after her. "Are you sure you don't need help on this mission?"

She turned back for only a moment to say, "I'd take you in a heartbeat if I could Tali, but I've gotta do this one alone. Next time, 'kay Tali?"

"Okay Shepard"


	28. Top Secret, Part 4

_Author's Note: Due to unforeseen issues, Part 3 of Episode 5, Top Secret will not be posted. It may be posted at a later date as a "lost chapter", but it's non-essential. The chapter was basically a log entry where Leanna recounts talking with Admiral Hackett. If you want to know what was said, you can either find it on Youtube or just get the Arrival DLC._

**Aratoht**

The Kodiak set down just outside an old, run down looking building. According to Hackett's intelligence, this was where Dr. Kenson was being held.

Shepard could hear the patter of the rain as the Kodiak's doors opened. The moment she stepped clear, the shuttle closed its doors and took off.

Shepard checked her weapons: the laser-guided Phalanx pistol and Kassa Locust at her side, the Widow on her back. Also on her back, where she would normally carry a heavy weapon, she carried a small cylindrical object. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it, but she was almost certain she would.

She made her way to the entrance. She hacked the door with ease. _Guess they care more about keeping prisoners in than out,_ she thought.

The doors slid open. A single Batarian guard stood in front of her, his back turned to her.

Before he had the chance to turn, Shepard delivered a well-placed palm strike to the back of his head. She heard a sickening crunch as his vertebrae snapped. His body hit the floor, limp.

She moved passed him to an available terminal. She initiated a search on prisoners in the facility.

A list turned up: thirty-seven prisoners, over half of which were Batarian. The Batarians were the only ones afforded the luxury of names. Still, each and every prisoner was listed as "Interrogated, Executed".

Finally, Shepard came to the thirty-eighth entry, "Human, female. Status: Interrogation in progress."

This was the one and only prisoner alive in the facility. She had to hope this was Kenson. She downloaded the schematics of the base and left the terminal and the guard behind her.

The facility was like a maze. The echoes didn't help either. In two instances, she thought she'd been discovered, only to realize the guard she was hearing was nowhere to be seen.

She checked her omni-tool periodically in an attempt to find her way. At one point, she thought she'd gotten lost, but a long scream convinced her she was close. Dr. Kenson was close… and being tortured.

Minutes later, she found the interrogation chamber. The two guards interrogating her had left the door open. Shepard took up a position in the hall. She drew the Widow and took aim through the scope.

"What do you think?" the first guard asked.

"She's not talking," the other replied. "It's been three days."

"Think we should just kill her?"

"Nah." The guard smiled sickeningly. "I wanna have some fun first."

Without a moment's hesitation, Shepard pulled the trigger. The biotic-enhanced round exploded out of the muzzle of the Widow and took the second guards head with it.

Shepard dropped the gun, not even bothering to reload. The guard raised his assault rifle and pointed it at her.

Shepard raised her Phalanx pistol. The laser sight caught him in one of his four eyes. He shot wildly.

With cool precision, Shepard fired two shots into the Batarian's head. He was dead before he hit the floor.

She ran up to the prisoner. She hoped Hackett's intel had been accurate. "Dr. Kenson?"

"Kenson?" she asked, disoriented. "Yes, I… Amanda Kenson, my name. Who…?"

"I'm Commander Shepard. Admiral Hackett sent me to rescue you."

"Shepard? The artifact! The Reapers are coming! We don't have much time!"

Shepard undid Kenson's restraints and administered a dose of medigel. "You can tell me about it once we're away from this forsaken prison. Can you walk?"

"I… I'll try."

Kenson tried to step off the interrogation machine. She stumbled for a moment, but managed to right herself.

"I can walk, but not quickly."

Shepard swore under her breath. "I can't get you back to the landing area in this condition." She pulled up the schematics on her omni-tool. "There's a shuttle bay not far from here. We can commandeer a shuttle and leave from there."

"I think I can make it."

Kenson threw her arm over Shepard's shoulder for support and the two of them made their way through the hallway, Shepard retrieving her sniper rifle along the way.

Wordlessly, the two went through the twist and turns of the facility. Shepard was able to plan a route that would avoid guards, but continued to scan for others.

They soon found themselves in the shuttle bay. Shepard entered the nearest shuttle. It was nearly identical to the Kodiak; in fact the controls were in English. Its paint job suggested it was stolen.

Shepard set Kenson down in one of the empty seats as she ran to the pilot's chair.

"Damn," she swore as she accessed the controls. "I can't open the doors from here."

Kenson struggled to her feet. "Help me to the controls and I can open them manually."

"No. You're staying here where it's safe."

Kenson looked her firmly in the eye. "As soon as we start hacking the door controls the alarms will go off. Dozens of Batarian reinforcements will start pouring in. You may be impressive Commander, but even you can't hack a door and shoot at the same time."

Shepard sighed. "Fine, but keep safe. I'll cover you as best as I can."

Being sure to tie the ships autopilot into her omni-tool, Shepard helped Dr. Kenson off the shuttle and to the manual controls. Kenson began hacking the controls while Shepard stood at the ready, Locust SMG in hand.

After a minute or two of waiting, Shepard asked, "I thought you said this would trigger an alarm?"

As if on cue, the klaxon of an alarm started ringing. Shepard heard the shouting and footfalls of approaching Batarian guards.

"Keep working! I'll draw their fire!"

Shepard stacked a couple of crates behind Kenson. They wouldn't hold up well, but all they needed to do was hide her. She took to the nearest cover just as the first couple guards came into view.

"Where are you?" one of them called. "Show yourselves!"

Shepard popped up and fired about a dozen rounds from the Locust, killing one of the guards and injuring another. The injured guard fired wildly. One of the rounds managed to graze her kinetic barrier.

"Give yourself up!" a newly appearing guard called out. "You can't escape!"

"You can't kidnap alliance citizens and get away with it!"

"Shepard?"

Shepard swore under her breath. She'd hoped to get in and out without being recognized.

"Shepard, it's me, Charn."

"Charn?" The name struck a bell with her, though she couldn't quite place it.

"From Asteroid X57."

That Shepard remembered. "You mean the asteroid your boss was going to crash into a planet?"

"Like I said back there, I was in it to secure slaves, not destroy a colony."

"That didn't make it right. You shouldn't have been there then and you shouldn't be here now."

"Hey! I sacrificed a lot of credits helping you out. I could be retired by now. And how did you repay me? You let Balak live!"

"I had to. It was the only way to save the hostages he took."

"They would have been acceptable losses; Balak needed to be stopped!"

"That's the difference between you and me. I'd rather save lives then end them."

"I'm going to enjoy gutting you Shepard. Fire!"

A spray of bullets flew over her head. A few of them managed to impact the crates behind her. They were damaged, but Kenson was still hidden. Shepard popped her head up when she could to take out a few guards with her locust, but the guards just kept coming, and Charn was still standing.

Suddenly, the doors behind her began to open. The guards stopped firing, startled by the unexpected occurrence.

"I've got it Shepard!" Kenson called out.

At that, Several of the guards began to raise their weapons at the crates.

Shepard stood and unleashed a Cryo Blast, freezing several of the nearest guards. She ran behind the crates and grabbed Kenson, shielding her with her body as the guards began to fire. She felt as each bullet impacted her shields, draining its power. She only hoped she could make it to the shuttle in time.

She managed to reach the shuttle hatch, just as her shields failed. With it, her tech armor exploded, knocking back all the guards in the area, save Charn, who was apparently out of thermal clips.

Shepard activated the autopilot as Charn searched his fallen comrades for more clips. The ship began to hover.

"Hey Charn."

The Batarian stopped what he was doing to look at her.

"Catch!"

Shepard pulled the fire extinguisher off her back and threw it at Charn, who caught it out of pure shock. As the shuttle began to fly away, Shepard held out her omni-tool arm and unleashed an Overload blast at the container, igniting the element zero she'd stored inside.

The shuttle raced away as the blast took out the entire facility, as well as a good part of the surrounding countryside.


	29. Top Secret, Part 5

**Kodiak Drop Shuttle, Bahak System, Viper Nebula**

"You plan to what?"

Dr. Kenson looked Shepard in the eyes. "I planned to destroy this system's Mass Relay," she replied calmly.

"Why would that thought even cross your mind?"

"It's not as if it was a light decision. Unfortunately, the Reapers left us with no choice in the matter."

"Hackett mentioned something about an invasion."

Kenson nodded. "That is correct. We discovered evidence that Reapers will invade this system within mere days."

"But… why this system?"

Kenson activated her omni-tool. It displayed an image of the system. "This particular relay," the display zoomed in on the relay, "is what we like to call the 'Alpha Relay'. When entered," the display zoomed out to display the galaxy, "a ship could travel to any Mass Relay in the galaxy. If the Reapers were to invade from this point," the display showed beams of light traveling from the system to all the other relays in the galaxy, "they could occupy the entire galaxy in a matter of days." She turned off the display.

"So you figured, destroy the relay, stop the Reapers?"

"Exactly."

"But then, won't they just travel to another system?"

"True, but even at maximum FTL speeds, it could take months or even years for them to reach the nearest system with a Mass Relay."

"Still, how would you go about destroying a Mass Relay?"

"With an Asteroid," Kenson replied mater-of-factly.

"An… asteroid?"

Kenson nodded "My team has been working on a way to crash an Asteroid into the Mass Relay."

"How would that even be possible?"

"It's really not that difficult to drive an asteroid. You just need thrust, guidance, enough energy to power them, and a good VI to handle it all. Then all you have to do is pick a target."

Shepard shook her head. "I know that. Terra Nova used that method to turn an asteroid into an artificial satellite. It's just that I was always told Mass Relays were indestructible."

"Yes, I've heard that before myself. I think it more likely that no one ever bothered to figure out how to do it. Why would they? The Mass Relays are at the heart of our civilization. Destroying one would be unthinkable to nearly anyone. And of course, there's always the thought of what would happen if you did."

"What would happen?"

"You have to understand, the heart of the Mass Relays contain the most powerful Mass Effect fields in the galaxy. This relay trumps them all. Destroying it, especially in this fashion, would cause destruction on the level of a supernova. The system, and everything in it, would be destroyed."

"But isn't there a Batarian Colony in this system?"

"Yes, with over three-hundred-thousand colonists living on it. They would all be wiped out in the blast. As I said Commander, this decision was not made lightly."

"I don't even know how you knew you had to make this decision. What makes you so sure the Reapers are headed here?"

"Those of us who believed you about the Reapers always suspected that the Citadel wasn't their only method of entering the galaxy. Fail-safes would have been made. Eventually, we discovered evidence of one."

"What kind of evidence?" Shepard asked.

"A reaper artifact classified as 'Object Rho'. From it, we've been able to determine that the Reapers are coming here, as well as the exact time of their arrival."

"A reaper artifact?"

"Yes, we found it on one of the asteroids near the Relay. As far as why it's here, I can't even begin to guess. It was just… there. Regardless of its purpose though, studying it has proved invaluable."

"But how did you find out they were coming from it."

"It showed me a vision of the Reapers arrival."

"A vision?"

Kenson nodded. "I presume it's much like the vision you received from the Prothean beacon. I know for certain that the reapers are coming here."

"But even a small artifact like that can indoctrinate people. How can I be sure you're not under the influence of the Reapers yourself?"

"I assure you Commander; we have taken every precaution against that."

Shepard sighed. "If we're going to wipe out an entire system, then I need to see this 'Object Rho' for myself."

"Of course Commander, I set a course for Project Base as soon as we left the planet. We should be arriving soon. When we get there, you can see the artifact. Then you'll know for certain what I know."

* * *

"So, your base is inside the asteroid you're going to crash into the relay?"

Kenson nodded. "It's a good place to hide, and it means we won't get caught transporting materials between our base and the asteroid."

"Makes sense I guess."

The Kodiak touched down on a landing pad. The shuttle doors opened.

"Welcome to Project Base, Commander Shepard."

"Wait, you actually call it 'Project Base'? Like that's its name?"

Kenson looked confused. "What's wrong with that?"

"I just figured you guys might come up with something a little more… creative?"

"We're scientists Commander, not writers."

"Yeah but, 'Project Base'? It's both descriptive and vague at the same time. At least 'Object Rho' is a bit more creative."

Kenson stared blankly. "Rho is a letter of the Greek alphabet."

"Yes, but it _sounds_ creative."

Kenson shook her head. "Anyway, shall we move on?"

Shepard nodded but then stopped and looked upward. "What's this giant clock mean?"

"It's a countdown to the arrival of the Reapers. We have less than two days left before they arrive."

Sure enough, the clock was ticking down from 01:20:42:13.

"How do you know that for sure?"

"Because of the object. It gives off pulses at a steadily increasing interval. We figure it must be bouncing the pulses off the Reaper it initially came from. The closer the Reapers get, the faster the pulses get. From what we've studied, we've managed to determine their distance and the speed they're headed here. From that, we've been able to determine the moment they will enter the system. Once the countdown reaches zero, there will be no way anyone will be able to stop them."

"Unless we destroy the relay first."

Kenson glanced over. "Of course."

Shepard steeled herself. "I'm ready to see the object."

"Right this way."

The pair made their way into the base. They passed hurried looking scientists, a few of which looked at them briefly before returning to their work.

"Everyone seems pretty busy."

Kenson nodded. "It's a busy time. We have to make preparations for the Arrival."

"Right."

"Don't worry Commander. If our plan succeeds, I'm sure they'll all be lining up for your autograph."

Leanna shook her head. "I don't do autographs anymore. Last guy I gave one to wouldn't leave me alone. Next who asked for one tried to kill my girlfriend. I'm done with that."

The approached a door where a single scientist was waiting.

"Good to see you again Doctor Kenson."

"You too Markus." Kenson shook his hand. "Markus, this is Commander –"

"Shepard." Markus finished as he reached for her hand. "Heard all about that Batarian base you blew up."

"You knew that was me?"

Markus let go. "Not exactly. The Batarians in this area suspect it was you though. They say it fits your style. I guess your reputation precedes you."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted."

Markus laughed. "Anyway, the project room's all cleaned up for you. We're expecting another energy pulse in a minute. That'll be your chance to see the vision for yourself."

Kenson nodded. "Then you can see what this is really about."

Leanna walked into the room, Kenson close behind.

The object was in the center of a very large room. It was tall, at least two stories tall. It had what looked like long metal tentacles reaching up into the air, but they were still, likely unable to move. It reminded Shepard of an upside-down ornate table, though with an ominous glow in the center.

"You have it just… sitting here!" Shepard asked incredulously.

"It's all right."

"This is not 'all right'! This is a piece of a reaper and you have it sitting out in the open! You told me you took every precaution."

"We did. We took every precaution that was necessary."

Shepard shook her head. "This isn't right Kenson!"

"Relax Shepard. Let it come."

Shepard turned to leave, but before she could take a step, the energy released from the object in a pulse, projecting images into Shepard's head.

_Cold. The dead of space. Reaper ships. Hundreds, thousands, headed this way. The relay. The Reapers spreading to every corner of the galaxy. Her friends, dead. The Earth in flames. Her helmet, empty._

She opened her eyes. She was flat on her back. She couldn't move.

"The vision takes a lot out of a person their first time. It temporarily disables your Somatic Nervous System, leading to a temporary paralysis. Don't worry though, it'll wear off, for all the good it will do. Nothing you can do from this point will stop the Reapers' Arrival."

She gave a twisted smile before turning to an unseen person behind her.

"Put her with the other."

**End of Chapter #4**


	30. The Third Option

**Flashback – The Third Option**

"So tell me about Lt Alenko."

"Kaidan?" Leanna asked. "What do you want to know? How I made him think I had feelings for him? How I broke his heart? How I let him die on Virmire?"

Kelly shook her head. "Why don't we start at the beginning; how did you two meet?"

Leanna sighed. "After Akuze, and my mandatory counseling, I was offered an N7 designation. Not too long after that, I was stationed in the same unit as Kaidan. We were working together for a while, but we didn't really talk much. Until that one day."

* * *

We were asses to elbows in the mess hall. I couldn't tell you what ship I was on at the time, but for some reason everyone on board thought it would be a good idea to have lunch at the same time. Or maybe it was dinner. Whatever meal it was, I was drinking it.

"This seat taken?"

I turned to see Kaidan looking back at me, a meal tray in his hand. There was nowhere else in the mess to sit so I just shrugged and turned back to my bottle. He sat down next to me.

"So, I hear you're the first N7 we've got on this ship."

I tried to ignore him, but he was persistent.

"1st Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, pleased to meet you."

"Shepard," I belched without turning my head.

He just wouldn't take the hint. "Well Shepard, I was thinking maybe you and I could—"

"Looking for a date tonight Alenko?"

"What?! No ma'am. Not that I wouldn't be interested if you offered, but honestly, I'm just here because you looked like you needed a friend."

I just stared at him incredulously as he buttered his toast. Wait a second, toast? Crap, this was lunch wasn't it?

* * *

"So yeah, we started hanging out sometimes on our off hours, and eventually we were assigned to the Normandy together."

Kelly nodded her head. "Where you say you broke his heart."

"Yeah." Leanna sighed once again. "You see, I'd been doing my nervous flirting thing with Kaidan lately, but I'd also been trying to get close to Liara. Suddenly, right after we saved the colony on Feros, Kaidan came up to me."

* * *

"Shepard, look, I've been talking to Dr. T'Soni and apparently, she's got this crazy idea that you're… interested in her."

I looked at him and flatly told him, "I am interested in her."

"Very funny Commander."

I shook my head. "I'm not joking. I really am interested in her."

"Y—you can't be serious," he stammered. "I didn't think you were into…"

"Aliens?" I tried to finish.

"…Women."

I smirked a bit. "You know, Liara says Asari aren't really women. They've only got the one gender."

"That may be, but if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck."

"Why are you so concerned about this?"

"It's just… I thought we had something. I thought there was something between us."

"You… thought that?"

"Yeah. You'd come talk to me after every mission. We talked about all those personal things. Everything you said to me… it felt like we'd really made a connection."

That's when I realized what I'd been doing. "Kaiden, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on like that. It's just that… I've never really been interested in guys."

He looked pale. "So everything…"

"Was just me trying to be friendly. I never meant to imply that you and I…"

"No. Look, I'm sorry. I guess I was picking up on something that wasn't there."

I reached out a hand to him. "Are we… alright?"

"We will be. I just…" he started to walk away, "…need some time."

* * *

"That must've been hard for you."

"It was." Leanna looked up at Kelly. "But not nearly as hard as what came next."

"The Virmire mission?"

She nodded. "You know in the old vids, when the hero is faced with an impossible choice; a choice between two people, or between a loved one and a city, or something like that? What does a hero do in a situation like that?"

* * *

They take a third option.

"Ashley, sit tight. We're on our way."

I turned around. "Garrus, I want you to take Tali and Wrex. Get to Ashley. Secure the bomb. Get the hell out of there as soon as the Normandy shows up."

"What do you mean," he asked me. "You're not coming with us?"

"I'm heading for Kaidan."

"That's suicide!" Tali yelled at me.

I shook my head. "If I can get to him in time, we might be able to get outside the blast radius."

"What if we take the Normandy back for you as soon as we secure the bomb?" Garrus asked me.

"We don't have the time. We need to detonate before they have a chance to disarm it."

"At least let someone come along with you!"

"I can't risk that! If I don't make it, I need to rest of you to take down Sovereign."

"Shepard," Wrex called out to me, "I know I'm not normally the voice of reason, but Kaidan's just one soldier. Is he really worth all this?"

I looked him directly in the eyes. "Yes. And I'd do the same for any of you."

Wrex burst out laughing. "You've got a quad on you Shepard. See you on the other side."

I smirked and nodded. "Listen Garrus, if I don't make it, tell Liara… I don't know. Make up something sweet and tell her I said it."

Garrus nodded back at me.

"Be sure to come back Shepard," Tali said to me.

"I'll do my best. Take care Tali."

At that, we split up. They headed for the Ashley and the bomb site while I headed for Kaidan and the AA tower. I didn't meet much resistance until I reached the tower.

Kaidan was pinned down pretty good. I managed to plow a path over to his makeshift barricade.

"Shepard! What the hell are you doing here?" he yelled at me over the roar of the gunfire.

"Saving your ass, what's it look like?!"

"You said you were heading for Ash."

"That's where the Normandy and everyone else is headed."

"What about us?"

"We've gotta get off this tower and hightail it out of the blast zone before the bomb goes off."

"There's a problem with that Commander."

"Which is?"

"After I managed to evacuate Kirrahe and his team, the Geth managed to seal off the escape route. The only ways off this tower are the way you came or a long drop down."

"Back the way I came would lead us closer to the blast. We want to be moving _away_ from it."

"Then I guess that leaves us with only one option."

I nodded. "Cover me."

I headed over to the ledge and looked down. "It's a far drop, but with the support frame in our armor and a few well-placed biotic blasts, I think we can make it. Still what I wouldn't give for a rope or a—"

"Glider?"

"Yeah, I suppose a glider might help."

"Glider, glider, GLIDER!"

Kaidan tackled me out of the way a split second before Saren's glider had a chance to take my head off.

"You humans are so predictable."

Saren landed his glider not too far from us. Kaidan and I took up cover behind the barricade again.

"You could have taken a calculated loss and left. Instead you have to try to save everyone, even if it means losing entirely. You're trapped Shepard. You have no backup and no way off this tower. Face it, you've lost."

"Don't count me out just yet. I'm still standing and I'm still armed."

Saren shouted in frustration. "Why must you continue to oppose me Shepard? Can't you see I'm doing this for the good of everyone? The Reapers will come and they will destroy us all if we oppose them. But if we serve them, if we prove ourselves useful, they will let us live. Is not servitude preferable to extinction?"

"It's all about calculated losses to you isn't it? You don't care how many the Reapers kill or what state the survivors will be in."

"At least they'll be alive! That's more than can be said for the Protheans. They fought until the bitter end as well, and now, there are none left."

"You don't get it do you. You can't win by surrendering. You have to fight until you can't keep fighting, and then you fight some more."

"I am fighting! I'm fighting for our survival!"

"You're fighting out of fear. You used to be a Spectre, now you just a coward. You don't have to be though. Join me. Together we can stop Sovereign. We can save our galaxy."

"It is too late for that. The arrival of the Reapers is inevitable. They will destroy us all if we do not submit. And because you oppose us, you must die!"

Saren charged at us, firing wildly. Geth and Krogan began to flank us. It was now or never.

I signaled to Kaidan to make a dash for the edge of the tower. We both threw up our barriers and ran as fast as we could, but just before we made it we stopped dead in our tracks.

It was the Normandy.

Garrus and Ashley covered us as we made ran up ramp. I could feel the impact of bullets on my back but my barrier just barely managed to hold as the ramp closed. I turned to Kaidan, relieved that I managed to save everyone.

I was wrong.

Kaidan was lying there, bleeding. I ran over to him. He was in bad shape. His barriers had failed and his shields had apparently died. I counted at least seven places where his armor had been pierced. I tried activating the medigel dispenser in his suit, but the wounds were too extensive.

I yelled. I shouted for a medic. I shouted into the comms for Dr. Chakwas to get down there as fast as possible.

It was too late.

Kaidan looked at me. He smiled. "No regrets Commander."

He went limp.

I was… frozen in place. Dr. Chakwas came out of the elevator and ran up to me, pulling Kaidan out of my arms. I don't know what it is she did, but a few minutes later, or maybe it was a few hours, it could've been a week for all I knew, I saw her shake her head. She called the time of death.

"I'm sorry Commander. He was already gone by the time I got here."

* * *

"And that was it. I tried to save them both, and I couldn't. I don't think I could've kept going if it hadn't been for Liara."

Kelly was silent for a moment. "It seems like this has been hurting you for a while."

"I know, but why? I'm supposed to be a soldier dammit!" Leanna pounded on the couch in frustration. "I'm supposed to be used to this sort of thing!"

"No one should be 'used to' their friends dying. What you're feeling is normal. It means you're human."

"But I know I'm going to lose more of them. I don't know who, and I don't know when, but I know that eventually I'm going to see more of the people I care about die until eventually I'm all alone."

"You can't say that Shepard."

"Can't I? People keep dying around me. They're giving their lives so that I can live. Eventually, if I want to save them, I'm going to have to push them away."

"You can't just push people away because you're afraid of them getting hurt. If they follow you and lose their lives in the process, it was their choice. Like you said, Kaidan didn't have any regrets about what happened."

Leanna stood up. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?! People around me keep dying and they're ok with it and I'm just supposed to be fine with this?"

"Shepard —" Kelly started.

"No. I don't want to hear it. I've heard all the comforting words and nothing helps."

"You can't—"

"I can't what? Blame myself? Why can't I?" Leanna walked over to the fish tank and stared into it. "Everyone I get close to dies. The best thing I can do is not get close to anyone."

Kelly sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dug up this old wound. Maybe we should work this out another time."

Leanna took a deep breath and calmed herself. "No Kelly, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have flown off the handle like that. It just… hurts. I don't know if the pain of it will ever go away."

Kelly walked up to Leanna and put a hand on her shoulder. "It might not, but you have to remember that these people who died for you, they did it for a reason. You have a bigger purpose out there, and I don't just mean fighting the Reapers."

Leanna managed half a smile. "You're right. Thanks Kelly."


End file.
